Criteria for annotation of plant MicroRNAs.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are approximately 21 nucleotide noncoding RNAs produced by Dicer-catalyzed excision from stem-loop precursors. Many plant miRNAs play critical roles in development, nutrient homeostasis, abiotic stress responses, and pathogen responses via interactions with specific target mRNAs. miRNAs are not the only Dicer-derived small RNAs produced by plants: A substantial amount of the total small RNA abundance and an overwhelming amount of small RNA sequence diversity is contributed by distinct classes of 21- to 24-nucleotide short interfering RNAs. This fact, coupled with the rapidly increasing rate of plant small RNA discovery, demands an increased rigor in miRNA annotations. Herein, we update the specific criteria required for the annotation of plant miRNAs, including experimental and computational data, as well as refinements to standard nomenclature.
Meyers
Blake C
BC
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Delaware Biotechnology Institute, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19711, USA. meyers@dbi.udel.edu
Axtell
Michael J
MJ
Bartel
Bonnie
B
Bartel
David P
DP
Baulcombe
David
D
Bowman
John L
JL
Cao
Xiaofeng
X
Carrington
James C
JC
Chen
Xuemei
X
Green
Pamela J
PJ
Griffiths-Jones
Sam
S
Jacobsen
Steven E
SE
Mallory
Allison C
AC
Martienssen
Robert A
RA
Poethig
R Scott
RS
Qi
Yijun
Y
Vaucheret
Herve
H
Voinnet
Olivier
O
Watanabe
Yuichiro
Y
Weigel
Detlef
D
Zhu
Jian-Kang
JK
D019295:Computational Biology; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA
D035683:MicroRNAs; D018749:RNA, Plant; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering