title: Discovery and analysis of microRNAs in Leymus chinensis under saline-alkali and drought stress using high-throughput sequencing.
abstract: Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel. is a perennial rhizome grass of the Poaceae (also called Gramineae) family, which adapts well to drought, saline and alkaline conditions. However, little is known about the stress tolerance of L. chinensis at the molecular level. microRNAs (miRNAs) are known to play critical roles in nutrient homeostasis, developmental processes, pathogen responses, and abiotic stress in plants. In this study, we used Solexa sequencing technology to generate high-quality small RNA data from three L. chinensis groups: a control group, a saline-alkaline stress group (100 mM NaCl and 200 mM NaHCO3), and a drought stress group (20% polyethylene glycol 2000). From these data we identified 132 known miRNAs and 16 novel miRNAs candidates. For these miRNAs we also identified target genes that encode a broad range of proteins that may be correlated with abiotic stress regulation. This is the first study to demonstrate differentially expressed miRNAs in L. chinensis under saline-alkali and drought stress. These findings may help explain the saline-alkaline and drought stress responses in L. chinensis.
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Bioreactor and Pharmaceutical Development, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China; College of Life Sciences, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Junfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Bioreactor and Pharmaceutical Development, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Yuanyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Bioreactor and Pharmaceutical Development, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Yepeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: High School attached to Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Bioreactor and Pharmaceutical Development, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Bioreactor and Pharmaceutical Development, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Fawei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Bioreactor and Pharmaceutical Development, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Weican
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Bioreactor and Pharmaceutical Development, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Xiaowei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Bioreactor and Pharmaceutical Development, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Bioreactor and Pharmaceutical Development, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Bioreactor and Pharmaceutical Development, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Bioreactor and Pharmaceutical Development, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Xiyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Meiying
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Bioreactor and Pharmaceutical Development, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China; College of Life Sciences, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Haiyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D000468:Alkalies / Q000737:chemistry; D001483:Base Sequence; D055864:Droughts; D015723:Gene Library; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006109:Poaceae / Q000235:genetics*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012639:Seeds / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000737:chemistry; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D000468:Alkalies; D035683:MicroRNAs; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012965:Sodium Chloride