Title:Identification of Stress-induced miRNAs and their Targets in Solanum lycopersicum
Volume: 1
Issue: 4
Author(s): Erum Dilshad*, Zainab Nooruddin, Shadab Shaukat, Anum Munir, Syeda Marriam Bakhtiar and Hammad Ismail
Affiliation:
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Capital University of Science and Technology (CUST), Islamabad,Pakistan
Keywords:
Abiotic stress, expressed sequence tags, microRNAs, novel miRNAs, Solanum lycopersicum, non-coding RNAs.
Abstract:
Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small endogenous non-coding RNAs that are
roughly 18-22 nucleotides long. They play important roles in different natural procedures. As of
now, little is known about their role in plant stress. The use of computational homology-based techniques
for Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) with the Ambros exact method and other structural
component criteria is a rational approach for the disclosure and confinement of conserved miRNAs
from several species.
Aims: The study aimed to identify novel stress induced miRNAs in tomato, using a computational
approach.
Methods: We used previously known sequences of mature miRNAs of different plants; Vitis, Oryza,
Triticum and Sorghum for the prediction of potential novel miRNAs in tomatoes. The hairpin
strucutres of miRNAs were predicted, their functional annotations were performed, and the targeted
genes were identified.
Results: Only two miRNAs were predicted and validated to be novel belonging to the family of
miRNA1301. The expression analysis of the novel miRNAs showed their significant role in the
growth and development of the respective tissues. We have found that the miRNAs in the leaf are
highly conserved related to the seed. This discovery significantly broadens the understanding of the
functions of miRNA in tomatoes. MiR1301 was found to play a role in transcriptional activation and
transporter activity, also involved in ubiquitin-protein ligase translation and transcription. 7 potential
targets were predicted for the two identified miRNAs.
Conclusion: Identification of new miRNAs and their target genes will establish the potential
roadmap for understanding the core regulatory interactions during abiotic stress in S. Lycopersicum.
