title: Characterization of wheat miRNAs and their target genes responsive to cadmium stress.
abstract: A increasing number of microRNAs have been shown to play important regulatory roles in plant responses to various metal stresses. However, little information about miRNAs especially miRNAs responsive to cadmium (Cd) stress is available in wheat. To investigate the role of miRNAs in responses to Cd stress, wheat seedlings were subjected to 250 μM Cd solution for 6, 12, 24 and 48 h, and analyses of morphological and physiological changes as well as the expression of five miRNAs and their corresponding targets were carried out. Our results demonstrated that miRNAs and their targets were differentially expressed in leaves and roots of wheat seedlings exposed to Cd stress. Furthermore, miR398 may involve in oxidative stress tolerance by regulating its target CSD to participate in Cd stress. Among ten miRNA-target pairs studied, nine pairs showed complex regulation relationship in leaves and roots of wheat seedlings exposed to Cd stress. These findings suggested that miRNAs are involved in the mediation of Cd stress signaling responses in wheat. The characterization of the miRNAs and the associated targets in responses to Cd exposure provides a framework for understanding the molecular mechanism of heavy metal tolerance in plants.
authors: College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, PR China. Electronic address: qiuzongbo@126.com.
authors: ZongBo
authors: Z
authors: Qiu
authors: College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, PR China; College of Information Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, PR China.
authors: BenZhai
authors: B
authors: Hai
authors: College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, PR China.
authors: JunLi
authors: J
authors: Guo
authors: College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, PR China.
authors: YongFang
authors: Y
authors: Li
authors: College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, PR China.
authors: Liang
authors: L
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D002104:Cadmium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D036226:Seedlings / Q000378:metabolism*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects*; D014908:Triticum / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D018749:RNA, Plant; D002104:Cadmium
keywords: Cadmium stress; Gene regulation; MicroRNA; Target gene; Wheat