Identification and expression analysis of salt stress-related miRNAs in Lentil (Lens culinaris L.)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Plant Production and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran.

2 Department of Plant Production and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) constitute a family of small RNA (sRNA) population that regulates the gene expression at the post-transcriptional levels by targeting mRNAs for degradation or by inhibiting protein translation. Although thousands of miRNAs have been identified in many plant species, no studies have been reported on discovering conserved stress-related miRNAs in lentil, one of the most important staple food crops in Iran developing countries. The present study was performed to identify the conserved miRNAs and their target genes in the lentil transcriptome under salts tress. In this study, 55892 unigenes from de novo assembly process of a set of short reads derived from RNA sequencing technology of lentil under control and salt stress conditions were used for the prediction of conserved miRNAs and their target genes. Finally, six potentials miRNAsnamedlcu-miR156, lcu-miR167, lcu-miR169, lcu-miR171, lcu-miR396, and lcu-miR390 belong to six conserved families were identified. Identified miRNAs showed differential expression under salt stress. The results showed that the target genes of the identified miRNAs play an important role in most biological processes such as differentiation, growth, signaling and response to biotic and abiotic stresses. In addition, the results showed that some transcription factors belonging to SBP, C2H2, GRAS, M-type_MADS and MYB families are widely affected by the regulatory process of identified miRNAs. In general, the set of miRNA and their target genes identified in the present study can be used as a useful basis for more in-depth and accurate research on the role of miRNAs in response of lentil to salt stress.

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Volume 36, Issue 3
September 2023
Pages 230-247
  • Receive Date: 30 September 2021
  • Revise Date: 04 March 2022
  • Accept Date: 13 June 2022