Flexible microRNA arm selection in rice

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2014 May 9;447(3):526-30. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.04.036. Epub 2014 Apr 15.

Abstract

MicroRNAs act at the post-transcriptional level and guide Argonaute proteins to cleave their corresponding target transcripts. However, little attention has been paid to arm selection in miRNA precursors. In this study, small RNA high-throughput sequencing data from 29 different rice libraries were pooled to investigate tissue- and abiotic stress-specific dynamic expression of miRNAs. We found that more than half of pre-miRNAs showed changes in arm selection in different tissues and/or under different abiotic stresses. Our findings suggest that miRNA selection is remarkably prevalent in plants, providing new insights into the role of miRNAs in plant growth and development.

Keywords: Abiotic stress; Arm switch; MicroRNA; pre-miRNA.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Argonaute Proteins / genetics
  • Base Sequence
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant*
  • Gene Library
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
  • MicroRNAs / chemistry
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation
  • Oryza / genetics*
  • RNA Precursors / chemistry
  • RNA Precursors / genetics*
  • RNA, Plant / chemistry
  • RNA, Plant / genetics*
  • Selection, Genetic*
  • Stress, Physiological

Substances

  • Argonaute Proteins
  • MicroRNAs
  • RNA Precursors
  • RNA, Plant