Identification and characterization of miRNAome and target genes in Pseudostellaria heterophylla

PLoS One. 2022 Oct 5;17(10):e0275566. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275566. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

miRNAs play a crucial role in the development and growth of plants by inhibiting the function of targeted genes at the post-transcription level. However, no miRNAs in Pseudostellaria heterophylla have been reported and their function in the morphogenesis of organs is still unclear. In this study, a total of 159 conserved miRNAs (belonging to 64 families) and 303 level miRNAs were identified from P. heterophylla. Some of them showed specifically up or down-regulated expression in different tissues and numbers of unigenes involved in Plant-pathogen interaction and MAPK signaling pathway-plant were targeted. The significant negative correlation of expression profiles between 30 miRNAs and their target genes (37 unigenes) was observed, respectively. Further, a large number of genes involved with signal transduction of auxin, zeatin, abscisic acid and, jasmonic acid were targeted. Predicated targets of two miRNAs were validated by 5'RLM-RACE, respectively. A large number of mRNAs from four pathogens were targeted by miRNAs from P. heterophylla and some of them were targeted by miR414. In summary, we reported a population of miRNAs from four different vegetative tissues of P. heterophylla by high throughput sequencing, which was analyzed by combining with the constructed transcriptome. These results may help to explain the function of miRNAs in the morphogenesis of organs and defense of pathogens, and may provide theoretical basis for breeding and genetic improvement of P. heterophylla.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Abscisic Acid / metabolism
  • Caryophyllaceae* / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
  • Humans
  • Indoleacetic Acids / metabolism
  • MicroRNAs* / genetics
  • MicroRNAs* / metabolism
  • Plant Breeding
  • Plant Leaves / genetics
  • Plant Roots / metabolism
  • Zeatin / metabolism

Substances

  • Indoleacetic Acids
  • MicroRNAs
  • Abscisic Acid
  • Zeatin

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the National Key R&D Program of China (NO. 2019YFC1712500), National Natural Science Foundation of China (NO. 81860667), the Science and Technology Department of Guizhou Province (QKHHBZ[2020]3003), First-class Discipline Construction Projects of Guizhou Province of China (GNYL(2017)008), the Science and Technology Department of Guizhou Province (QKHJC[2018]1010). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.