Plant Small RNAs: Biogenesis and Functions

A special issue of Genes (ISSN 2073-4425). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Genetics and Genomics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 November 2024 | Viewed by 2115

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Interests: plants; maize; miRNA functions; miRNA biogenesis; miRNAs interaction; agronomic trait improvement

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Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, College of Life Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Interests: plants; potato; small RNAs; miRNA functions; abiotic stress; RNA interference

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Guest Editor Assistant
State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China
Interests: plants; rice; wheat; miRNA functions; plant architecture; agronomic trait improvement; disease resistance

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Canonical plant small RNAs (sRNAs) include microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs); the latter can be subclassified mainly as heterochromatic small interfering RNAs (hc-siRNAs) and secondary siRNAs. sRNAs play key roles in the regulation of plant growth, reproduction, biotic and abiotic stress responses, and agronomic traits. In the past two decades, tremendous advances have been made in studying sRNA biogenesis and functions. In particular, many miRNAs and secondary siRNAs have been functionally identified in major crops. Their small size and efficiency in mediating gene silencing allow researchers to apply sRNAs in agronomic trait improvement and enhance crop resistance to diseases and insects.

However, sRNA biogenesis is precisely controlled by a complicated mechanism. The biogenesis and functions of several other sRNA types, such as naturally antisense siRNAs (natsiRNAs), double-strand break-induced sRNAs (diRNAs), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA)-derived siRNAs (risiRNAs), are largely unknown. Moreover, miRNA functions in major crops are still poorly understood. New endeavors in plant sRNA biogenesis and functions will provide essential support for researchers and breeders in crop breeding and agronomic improvement.

In this Special Issue, we would like to invite various studies on the biogenesis and functions of plant sRNAs. We welcome both original research and reviews.

Dr. Zhanhui Zhang
Dr. Jiangwei Yang
Guest Editors

Dr. Rongna Wang
Guest Editor Assistant

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Keywords

  • plants
  • crops
  • small RNAs
  • microRNAs
  • small interfering RNAs
  • biogenesis
  • functions
  • agronomic trait improvement

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

16 pages, 1402 KiB  
Review
Research Progress on miRNAs and Artificial miRNAs in Insect and Disease Resistance and Breeding in Plants
by Zengfeng Ma, Jianyu Wang and Changyan Li
Genes 2024, 15(9), 1200; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes15091200 - 12 Sep 2024
Viewed by 859
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that are expressed in a tissue- and temporal-specific manner during development. They have been found to be highly conserved during the evolution of different species. miRNAs regulate the expression of several genes in various organisms, with some [...] Read more.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that are expressed in a tissue- and temporal-specific manner during development. They have been found to be highly conserved during the evolution of different species. miRNAs regulate the expression of several genes in various organisms, with some regulating the expression of multiple genes with similar or completely unrelated functions. Frequent disease and insect pest infestations severely limit agricultural development. Thus, cultivating resistant crops via miRNA-directed gene regulation in plants, insects, and pathogens is an important aspect of modern breeding practices. To strengthen the application of miRNAs in sustainable agriculture, plant endogenous or exogenous miRNAs have been used for plant breeding. Consequently, the development of biological pesticides based on miRNAs has become an important avenue for future pest control methods. However, selecting the appropriate miRNA according to the desired target traits in the target organism is key to successfully using this technology for pest control. This review summarizes the progress in research on miRNAs in plants and other species involved in regulating plant disease and pest resistance pathways. We also discuss the molecular mechanisms of relevant target genes to provide new ideas for future research on pest and disease resistance and breeding in plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Small RNAs: Biogenesis and Functions)
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15 pages, 3180 KiB  
Review
MicroRNA166: Old Players and New Insights into Crop Agronomic Traits Improvement
by Zhanhui Zhang, Tianxiao Yang, Na Li, Guiliang Tang and Jihua Tang
Genes 2024, 15(7), 944; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes15070944 - 18 Jul 2024
Viewed by 821
Abstract
MicroRNA (miRNA), a type of non-coding RNA, is crucial for controlling gene expression. Among the various miRNA families, miR166 stands out as a highly conserved group found in both model and crop plants. It plays a key role in regulating a wide range [...] Read more.
MicroRNA (miRNA), a type of non-coding RNA, is crucial for controlling gene expression. Among the various miRNA families, miR166 stands out as a highly conserved group found in both model and crop plants. It plays a key role in regulating a wide range of developmental and environmental responses. In this review, we explore the diverse sequences of MIR166s in major crops and discuss the important regulatory functions of miR166 in plant growth and stress responses. Additionally, we summarize how miR166 interacts with other miRNAs and highlight the potential for enhancing agronomic traits by manipulating the expression of miR166 and its targeted HD-ZIP III genes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Small RNAs: Biogenesis and Functions)
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