1. Genome-wide identification of microRNAs responding to early stages of phosphate deficiency in maize
- Author
-
Zhang Suzhi, Zhi Nie, Haitao Tang, Zhiyong Ren, Xiao Zhang, Xuan Wei, Hailan Liu, Su Shunzong, Ling Wu, Shibin Gao, Dan Liu, and Libo Wang
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Small RNA ,Physiology ,Sequence analysis ,Plant Science ,Biology ,Plant Roots ,Zea mays ,01 natural sciences ,Deep sequencing ,Phosphates ,03 medical and health sciences ,Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ,Stress, Physiological ,microRNA ,Genetics ,Gene ,Transcription factor ,Gene Library ,Regulation of gene expression ,High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ,RNA ,Sequence Analysis, DNA ,Cell Biology ,General Medicine ,Plant Leaves ,MicroRNAs ,030104 developmental biology ,RNA, Plant ,Seedlings ,Genome, Plant ,010606 plant biology & botany - Abstract
Phosphorus (P) is an essential element involved in numerous biochemical reactions. In plants, stress responses, such as the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs), are induced to help them adapt to low phosphate (Pi) concentrations. In this study, deep sequencing was performed using the roots and leaves of maize seedlings grown under low Pi concentrations to identify miRNAs that are differentially expressed during the early stages of Pi deficiency. Eight small RNA libraries were constructed, and 159 known miRNAs representing 32 miRNA families and 10 novel miRNAs. Members of the miR396 family were extremely abundant. Further, 28 Pi-responsive miRNAs were identified (27 known and 1 novel) of which 8 and 7 were significantly expressed exclusively in leaf and root tissues, respectively. The analysis of Pi-responsive miRNAs target genes suggested that most target genes functioning as transcription factors were involved in root and leaf development. The expression profiles of selected Pi-responsive miRNAs and target genes were confirmed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Moreover, we discuss the significance of the differences in expression patterns of these miRNAs during the early and later stages of Pi starvation. This study provides useful information concerning the role of miRNAs in response to Pi starvation and will further our understanding of the mechanisms governing Pi homeostasis in maize.
- Published
- 2016