Chinese Bulletin of Botany ›› 2012, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (5): 462-473.DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1259.2012.00462

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Expression Analysis of Five MiRNAs and Their Precursors During Somatic Embryogenesis in Larch

Junhong Zhang1,2, Shougong Zhang1, Tao Wu1, Suying Han3, Wenhua Yang1, Liwang Qi1*   

  1. 1Laboratory of Cell Biology, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China;

    2The Nurturing Station for the State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang Agricultural and Forestry University, Lin’an 311300, China

    3Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
  • Received:2012-04-06 Revised:2012-05-24 Online:2012-09-01 Published:2012-07-24
  • Contact: Liwang Qi

Abstract: We used the homolog search strategy or RACE to obtain 5 precursor microRNAs (miRNAs) of larch, Larix leptolepis. Mature miRNAs shared high similarity among plant species, and non-mature sequences showed distinct similarity related to genetic relationships. Expression profiles of the 5 precursor and mature miRNAs were examined during 8 developmental stages with quantitative RT-PCR. The expression of precursor and mature miRNAs changed dynamically during developmental stages, with major peaks in expression for mature miRNAs in late cotyledonous embryos, which might be associated with promoting embryo dormancy. However, miR397 and miR408 showed minor peaks in expression at PEMIII, miR398 at the early single embryo stage, and miR156 and miR166 at the early cotyledonous embryo stage, which might be related to regulation to maintain a thin cell wall, proton transfer between photo systems, and formation of shoot meristem. However, the expression of mature miRNAs was not linearly associated with that of precursor miRNAs, which might be regulated at several levels. Our study sheds light on miRNA evolution, expression regulation of mature miRNAs, and regulation of somatic embryogenesis in larch.