sRNA and RNA sequencing profile of barley and wheat anther
Two classes of pre-meiotic (21-nt) and meiotic (24-nt) phasiRNAs and their patterns of accumulation, have been described in maize and rice anthers. Their precise function remains unclear but some studies have shown that they support male fertility. Their important role in anthers underpins our current study to characterize phasiRNAs in wheat and barley anthers. We staged anthers at every 0.2 mm of development for one wheat and two barley varieties. We identified pre-meiotic (0.2 mm, 0.4 mm and 0.6 mm), meiotic (0.8 mm, 1.0 mm and 1.4 mm) and post-meiotic (1.8 mm) anthers for which we then investigated accumulation patterns of RNAs, including reproductive phasiRNAs.