MicroRNA Techniques: Valuable Tools for Agronomic Trait Analyses and Breeding in Rice

Jiwei Chen; Sachin Teotia; Ting Lan; Guiliang Tang

doi:10.3389/fpls.2021.744357

MicroRNA Techniques: Valuable Tools for Agronomic Trait Analyses and Breeding in Rice

Front Plant Sci. 2021 Sep 20:12:744357. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2021.744357. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Jiwei Chen^{1

2}, Sachin Teotia³, Ting Lan^{1

2}, Guiliang Tang⁴

Affiliations

¹ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, Longhua Bioindustry and Innovation Research Institute, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
² Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
³ Department of Biotechnology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, India.
⁴ Department of Biological Sciences, Life Science and Technology Institute, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, United States.

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Extensive studies have revealed that miRNAs have critical functions in plant growth, development, and stress responses and may provide valuable genetic resources for plant breeding research. We herein reviewed the development, mechanisms, and characteristics of miRNA techniques while highlighting widely used approaches, namely, the short tandem target mimic (STTM) approach. We described STTM-based advances in plant science, especially in the model crop rice, and introduced the CRISPR-based transgene-free crop breeding. Finally, we discussed the challenges and unique opportunities related to combining STTM and CRISPR technology for crop improvement and agriculture.

Keywords: CRISPR/Cas9; agronomic traits; crop breeding; microRNA; short tandem target mimic.

Publication types

Review