title: In silicoMCMV Silencing Concludes Potential Host-Derived miRNAs in Maize.
abstract: Maize Chlorotic Mottle Virus (MCMV) is a deleterious pathogen which causes Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease (MLND) that results in substantial yield loss of Maize crop worldwide. The positive-sense RNA genome of MCMV (4.4 kb) encodes six proteins: P32 (32 kDa protein), RNA dependent RNA polymerases (P50 and P111), P31 (31 kDa protein), P7 (7 kDa protein), coat protein (25 kDa). P31, P7 and coat protein are encoded from sgRNA1, located at the 3'end of the genome and sgRNA2 is located at the extremity of the 3'genome end. The objective of this study is to locate the possible attachment sites ofZea maysderived miRNAs in the genome of MCMV using four diverse miRNA target prediction algorithms. In total, 321 mature miRNAs were retrieved from miRBase (miRNA database) and were tested for hybridization of MCMV genome. These algorithms considered the parameters of seed pairing, minimum free energy, target site accessibility, multiple target sites, pattern recognition and folding energy for attachment. Out of 321 miRNAs only 10 maize miRNAs are predicted for silencing of MCMV genome. The results of this study can hence act as the first step towards the development of MCMV resistant transgenic Maize plants through expression of the selected miRNAs.
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Shahzad
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the PunjabLahore, Pakistan; Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of the PunjabLahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Basit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jabbar
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Nauman
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Sharif
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Qurban
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Tayyab
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Husnain
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Idrees A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Nasir
keywords: R language; RNA22; TapirHybrid; Targetfinder; maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV); miRNA; miRanda; target prediction