title: Dynamic expression of small RNA populations in larch (Larix leptolepis).
abstract: Small RNAs (sRNAs) are emerging as essential regulators of biological processes. However, several studies have reported that gymnosperms do not express appreciable amounts of 24-nt sRNAs, and conifers in particular may have a unique sRNA-silencing signature. Here, we compared the sRNA transcriptomes of Japanese larch somatic embryos (SE) and seedlings. SE sRNAs exhibited a length bias toward 24 nt, while seedlings showed a bias toward a 21-nt length. We also confirmed that larch is capable of producing 24-nt sRNAs based on a polyacrylamide gel analysis. The sRNA expression patterns varied according to developmental stage, which might be associated with Dicer-like 3 and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase2 (RDR2) levels. Our data suggest that many MIR loci that produce canonical microRNAs (miRNAs, 20-22 nt) and long sRNAs (23-26 nt) have dual functions; the latter were preferentially produced in SE compared to seedlings. However, the ratio of miRNAs to total sRNAs in seedlings was higher than in SE, and most miRNAs were upregulated in seedlings. Trans-acting small interfering RNAs (ta-siRNAs) generated from TAS3 triggered by miR390 were identified, and levels of the three detected ta-siRNAs peaked in mature embryos, which was not consistent with the lowest RDR6 level. These findings indicate that larch, and possibly other gymnosperms, shares a common sRNA pathway with other land plants, and that the sRNA distribution pattern varies according to developmental stage, which may be attributable to the expression of sRNA pathway genes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Biology, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Xiangshan Road, Beijing 100091, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Junhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Suying
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Xinmin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shougong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Liwang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qi
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D028221:Larix / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated / Q000235:genetics*; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D043244:Ribonuclease III / Q000235:genetics; D036226:Seedlings / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D012639:Seeds / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D010940:Plant Proteins; D018749:RNA, Plant; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase; D043244:Ribonuclease III