Identification and characterization of durum wheat microRNAs in leaf and root tissues.
MicroRNAs are a class of post-transcriptional regulators of plant developmental and physiological processes and responses to environmental stresses. Here, we present the study regarding the annotation and characterization of MIR genes conducted in durum wheat. We characterized the miRNAome of leaf and root tissues at tillering stage under two environmental conditions: irrigated with 100% (control) and 55% of evapotranspiration (early water stress). In total, 90 microRNAs were identified, of which 32 were classified as putative novel and species-specific miRNAs. In addition, seven microRNA homeologous groups were identified in each of the two genomes of the tetraploid durum wheat. Differential expression analysis highlighted a total of 45 microRNAs significantly differentially regulated in the pairwise comparisons leaf versus root. The miRNA families, miR530, miR395, miR393, miR5168, miR396 and miR166, miR171, miR319, and miR167, were the most expressed in leaves in comparison to roots. Putative microRNA targets were predicted for both five and three prime sequences derived from the stem-loop of the MIR gene. Gene ontology analysis showed significant overrepresented gene categories in microRNA targets belonging to transcription factors, phenylpropanoids, oxydases, and lipid binding-protein. This work represents one of the first genome wide characterization of MIR genes in durum wheat, identifying leaf and root tissue-specific microRNAs. This genomic identification of microRNAs together with the analysis of their expression profiles is a well-accepted starting point leading to a better comprehension of the role of MIR genes in the genus Triticum.
Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Forestali, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 4, 90128, Palermo, Italy.
Veronica
V
Fileccia
Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Piazza Martiri della Libertà 33, 56127, Pisa, Italy.
Edoardo
E
Bertolini
Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Forestali, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 4, 90128, Palermo, Italy.
Paolo
P
Ruisi
Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Forestali, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 4, 90128, Palermo, Italy.|Fondazione A. e S. Lima Mancuso, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Piazza Marina 61, 90126, Palermo, Italy.
Dario
D
Giambalvo
Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Forestali, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 4, 90128, Palermo, Italy.|Fondazione A. e S. Lima Mancuso, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Piazza Marina 61, 90126, Palermo, Italy.
Alfonso Salvatore
AS
Frenda
Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Altenbergrain 21, 3013, Bern, Switzerland.
Gina
G
Cannarozzi
Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Altenbergrain 21, 3013, Bern, Switzerland.
Zerihun
Z
Tadele
Genomics Research Centre, Council for agricultural research and economics, Via S. Protaso 302, 29017, Fiorenzuola d'Arda (PC), Italy.
Cristina
C
Crosatti
Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Forestali, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 4, 90128, Palermo, Italy. federico.martinelli@unipa.it.|Fondazione A. e S. Lima Mancuso, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Piazza Marina 61, 90126, Palermo, Italy. federico.martinelli@unipa.it.
Federico
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3981-0567
F
Martinelli
D055864:Droughts; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000378:metabolism; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D014908:Triticum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
D035683:MicroRNAs; D018749:RNA, Plant
Drought; Durum wheat; Leaf; Root; Triticum turgidum; microRNA