miRNA expression profiling and zeatin dynamic changes in a new model system of in vivo indirect regeneration of tomato

Huiying Cao; Xinyue Zhang; Yanye Ruan; Lijun Zhang; Zhenhai Cui; Xuxiao Li; Bing Jia

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0237690

miRNA expression profiling and zeatin dynamic changes in a new model system of in vivo indirect regeneration of tomato

PLoS One. 2020 Dec 17;15(12):e0237690. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237690. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Huiying Cao¹, Xinyue Zhang¹, Yanye Ruan¹, Lijun Zhang¹, Zhenhai Cui¹, Xuxiao Li¹, Bing Jia¹

Affiliation

¹ College of Biological Science and Technology, Liaoning Province Research Center of Plant Genetic Engineering Technology, Shenyang Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China.

Abstract

Callus formation and adventitious shoot differentiation could be observed on the cut surface of completely decapitated tomato plants. We propose that this process can be used as a model system to investigate the mechanisms that regulate indirect regeneration of higher plants without the addition of exogenous hormones. This study analyzed the patterns of trans-zeatin and miRNA expression during in vivo regeneration of tomato. Analysis of trans-zeatin revealed that the hormone cytokinin played an important role in in vivo regeneration of tomato. Among 183 miRNAs and 1168 predicted target genes sequences identified, 93 miRNAs and 505 potential targets were selected based on differential expression levels for further characterization. Expression patterns of six miRNAs, including sly-miR166, sly-miR167, sly-miR396, sly-miR397, novel 156, and novel 128, were further validated by qRT-PCR. We speculate that sly-miR156, sly-miR160, sly-miR166, and sly-miR397 play major roles in callus formation of tomato during in vivo regeneration by regulating cytokinin, IAA, and laccase levels. Overall, our microRNA sequence and target analyses of callus formation during in vivo regeneration of tomato provide novel insights into the regulation of regeneration in higher plants.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cytokinins / genetics
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / genetics*
MicroRNAs / genetics*
Plants, Genetically Modified / genetics
Plants, Genetically Modified / physiology
Regeneration / genetics*
Solanum lycopersicum / genetics*
Solanum lycopersicum / physiology*
Zeatin / genetics*

Substances

Cytokinins
MicroRNAs
Zeatin

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant numbers 31300164) and the Scientific and Technological Project of Shenyang (grant number 18-013-0-92) received from HC.The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.