Chinese Bulletin of Botany ›› 2024, Vol. 59 ›› Issue (5): 810-833.DOI: 10.11983/CBB24020  cstr: 32102.14.CBB24020

• SPECIAL TOPICS • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Advances in Plant miRNAs Responses to Abiotic Stresses

Wenjie Zhou, Wenhan Zhang, Wei Jia, Zicheng Xu, Wuxing Huang*()   

  1. College of Tobacco Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
  • Received:2024-02-18 Accepted:2024-05-04 Online:2024-09-10 Published:2024-08-19
  • Contact: Wuxing Huang

Abstract: Abiotic stresses such as drought, extreme temperatures, salinity, and heavy metals can cause a decrease in plant yield and quality. miRNAs are a class of endogenous non-coding small RNA with a length of about 20-24 nucleotides. By forming miRNA-mediated silencing complexes (RISCs), they cleave target mRNAs and inhibit the translation of target genes, negatively regulating eukaryotic gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. The development of high-throughput sequencing technology has enabled the identification and characterization of a large number of miRNAs that respond to abiotic stress in various plant species. Under abiotic stress, plant miRNAs bind to their target genes, forming a large gene regulatory network that controls various life activities, including growth and development, nutrient absorption and distribution, signal transduction, and oxidative stress, thereby improving plant stress resistance. Understanding the function and regulatory mechanisms of miRNAs is crucial for crop improvement and stress-resistant breeding through genetic engineering. This review summarized the advances in the biosynthesis and mechanisms of plant miRNAs in recent years, with emphasis on the identification and function of miRNAs involved in regulating plant response to abiotic stress. Possible future research directions in this field are also discussed.

Key words: plant, miRNA, abiotic stress, action mechanism