High-throughput sequencing and degradome analysis identify miRNAs and their targets involved in fruit senescence of Fragaria ananassa
To identify miRNAs involved in senescence of strawberry fruit, two independent small RNA libraries and one degradome library from strawberry fruits stored at 20 °C for 0 and 24 h  were constructed. A total of 18,759,735 and 20,293,492 mappable small RNA sequences were generated in the two small RNA libraries, respectively, and 88 known and 1224 new candidate miRNAs were obtained. Among them, 94 miRNAs were up-regulated and 64 were down-regulated in the senescence of strawberry fruit. Through degradome sequencing, 103 targets cleaved by 19 known miRNAs families and 55 new candidate miRNAs were identified. 14 targets, including NAC transcription factor, Auxin response factors (ARF) and Myb transcription factors, cleaved by 6 known miRNA families and 6 predicted candidates, were found to be involved in regulating fruit senescence. Overall design: sample 1: Examination of small RNA in strawberry fruits stored at 20 °C for 0; sample 2: Examination of small RNA in strawberry fruits stored at 20 °C for 24 h