The miR-29 microRNA precursor, or pre-miRNA, is a small RNA molecule in the shape of a stem-loop or hairpin. Each arm of the hairpin can be processed into one member of a closely related family of short non-coding RNAs that are involved in regulating gene expression. The processed, or "mature" products of the precursor molecule are known as microRNA (miRNA), and have been predicted or confirmed in a wide range of species.
miR-29b was revealed to induce global DNA hypomethylation and tumor suppressor gene reexpression by directly targeting DNA methyltransferase (Dnmt) 3a and 3b expression and indirectly targeting Dnmt1 expression.