title: Endogenous small RNAs in grain: semi-quantification and sequence homology to human and animal genes.
abstract: Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are effector molecules of RNA interference (RNAi), a highly conserved RNA-based gene suppression mechanism in plants, mammals and other eukaryotes. Endogenous RNAi-based gene suppression has been harnessed naturally and through conventional breeding to achieve desired plant phenotypes. The present study demonstrates that endogenous small RNAs, such as siRNAs and miRNAs, are abundant in soybean seeds, corn kernels, and rice grain, plant tissues that are traditionally used for food and feed. Numerous endogenous plant small RNAs were found to have perfect complementarity to human genes as well as those of other mammals. The abundance of endogenous small RNA molecules in grain from safely consumed food and feed crops such as soybean, corn, and rice and the homology of a number of these dietary small RNAs to human and animal genomes and transcriptomes establishes a history of safe consumption for dietary small RNAs.
authors.affiliation: Monsanto Company, 800N. Lindbergh Blvd., Mail Code O3F, St. Louis, MO 63167, USA.
authors.forename: Sergey I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Ivashuta
authors.forename: Jay S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Petrick
authors.forename: Sara E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Heisel
authors.forename: Yuanji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Tracey L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: Edwards
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: James K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D016678:Genome; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013025:Glycine max / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018744:DNA, Plant; D035683:MicroRNAs; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering