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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Forage Seed and Cereal Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #206823
Title: MICRO RNAs IN SEEDS: MODIFIED DETECTION TECHNIQUES AND POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS

Author
item Martin, Ruth
item LIU, PO-PO - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
item NONOGAKI, HIROYUKI - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Canadian Journal of Botany
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/31/2006
Publication Date: 3/31/2006
Citation: Martin, R.C., Liu, P., Nonogaki, H. 2006. Micro RNAs in seeds: modified detection techniques and potential applications. Canadian Journal of Botany. 84:189-198.

Interpretive Summary: There are many important factors controlling seed germination, but little is known about the regulatory mechanisms involved in seed germination. microRNAs are short pieces of RNA that act as negative regulators of gene expression, that is, they stop the expression of genes when they are no longer needed. Recent technical advances in seed microRNA research and their potential applications for seed research are presented. To gain a better understanding of the role of microRNAs in seeds, germinating seeds were examined to profile microRNAs expressed at different stages of germination. Different microRNA expression patterns were detected in germinating and post-germinative tomato seeds, suggesting a role for microRNAs during seed development and germination. Approaches for further characterizing specific microRNAs to determine their role in seed development and germination are presented.

Technical Abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small (21–24 nucleotides), single-stranded RNAs that regulate target gene expression at transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. miRNAs play crucial roles in plant development, maintenance of homeostasis, and responses to environmental signals. miRNAs and their target genes, which can be computationally predicted in plants, are expressed in developing and germinating seeds as in other plant tissues, suggesting that miRNAs may be involved in the regulation of gene expression in seeds. Profiling multiple miRNAs expressed in developing and germinating seeds, characterizing their expression patterns in a spatio-temporal manner, and elucidating their biological functions will provide information essential for understanding the mechanisms of seed development and germination. In this review, an overview of the recent technical advances in seed miRNA research and their potential applications for plant, specifically seed, research are presented.