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Comparative Temporal Expression Analysis of MicroRNAs and Their Target Genes in Contrasting Wheat Genotypes During Osmotic Stress

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Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important nonprotein-coding genes involved in almost all biological processes during biotic and abiotic stresses in plants. To investigate the miRNA-mediated plant response to drought stress, two drought-tolerant (C-306 and NI-5439) and two drought-sensitive (HUW-468 and WL-711) wheat genotypes were exposed to 25 % PEG 6000 for 1, 12 and 24 h. Temporal expression patterns of 12 drought-responsive miRNAs and their corresponding nine targets were monitored by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The results showed differential expression of miRNAs and their targets with varying degree of upregulation and downregulation in drought-sensitive genotypes. Likewise, in drought-tolerant wheat genotypes, maximum accumulation of miR393a and miR397a was observed at 1 h of stress. In addition, nearly perfect negative correlation was observed in four miRNA and target pairs (miR164-NAC, miR168a-AGO, miR398-SOD and miR159a-MYB) across all the temporal period studied which could be a major player during drought response in wheat. We, for the first time, validated the presence of miR529a and miR1029 in wheat. These findings gives a clue for temporal and variety-specific differential regulation of miRNAs and their targets in wheat in response to osmotic shock and could help in defining the potential roles of miRNAs in plant adaptation to osmotic stress in future.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research grant DWR/RP/10-5.3 to PS. The authors are grateful to the Director, ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Karnal and PI (Crop Improvement) for providing the necessary facilities during the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Crop Improvement, ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Karnal, 132001, India

    Amandeep Kaur, Nand Lal Meena & Pradeep Sharma

  2. University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, 136119, India

    Amandeep Kaur & Anita Grewal

  3. Division of Quality and Basic Science, ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Karnal, 132001, India

    Om Prakesh Gupta

  4. ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research, Hydrabad, 500030, India

    Nand Lal Meena

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  1. Amandeep Kaur
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Correspondence to Pradeep Sharma.

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Kaur, A., Gupta, O.P., Meena, N.L. et al. Comparative Temporal Expression Analysis of MicroRNAs and Their Target Genes in Contrasting Wheat Genotypes During Osmotic Stress. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 181, 613–626 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-016-2236-z

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