title: Missing Pieces in the Puzzle of Plant MicroRNAs.
abstract: Plant microRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulatory switches. Recent advances have revealed many regulatory layers between the two essential processes, miRNA biogenesis and function. However, how these multilayered regulatory processes ultimately control miRNA gene regulation and connects miRNAs and plant responses with the surrounding environment is still largely unknown. In this opinion article, we propose that the miRNA pathway is highly dynamic and plastic. The apparent flexibility of the miRNA pathway in plants appears to be controlled by a number recently identified proteins and poorly characterized signaling cascades. We further propose that altered miRNA accumulation can be a direct consequence of the rewiring of interactions between proteins that function in the miRNA pathway, an avenue that remains largely unexplored.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, University of Sydney, Eveleigh, NSW, Australia; Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address: rodrigo.siqueirareis@unil.ch.
authors.forename: Rodrigo S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Eamens
authors.affiliation: Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Waterhouse
mesh_terms: D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D018749:RNA, Plant
keywords: development; miRNA; stress response; systems biology; translation inhibition