Table 3. Number of known miRNAs and novel miRNA candidates.

Groups:	Total		R library		P library
	Pre-miRNA	Unique miRNA	Pre-miRNA	Unique miRNA	Pre-miRNA	Unique miRNA
gp1b	8	14	7	13	8	13
gp2a	174	215	162	200	154	193
gp3a	270	326	241	288	225	268
gp4a	636	621	485	470	293	280

Notes: gp1b: Reads map to selected (except for specific) miRNAs/pre-miRNAs in miRbase and the pre-miRNAs further map to the genome & EST. gp2a: Reads map to selected miRNAs/pre-miRNAs in miRbase. The mapped pre-miRNAs do not map to the genome, but the reads (and of course the miRNAs of the pre-miRNAs) map to genome. The extended genome sequences from the genome loci may form hairpins. gp3a: Reads map to slected miRNAs/pre-miRNAs in miRbase. The mapped pre-miRNAs do not map to the genome, and the reads do not map to the genome. gp4a: Reads do not map to selected pre-miRNAs in miRbase. But the reads map to genome & the extended genome sequences from genome may form hairpins.