Computational Identification of MicroRNAs and Their Targets in Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne)

• DOI: 10.1007/s12010-014-0891-5
• Publication Date: 2014-04-21T06:49:24Z
• Authors: Yong Huang; Quan Zou; Xi Hong Sun; Ling Ping Zhao
• Keywords: 580; 0301 basic medicine; TISSUES; GENES; PREDICTION; Sequence Analysis, RNA; BIOGENESIS; 500; L; EXPRESSED SEQUENCE TAGS; VALIDATION; CULTIVARS; MicroRNAs; 03 medical and health sciences; RNA, Plant; Lolium; IN-SILICO IDENTIFICATION; PLANT STRESS RESPONSES

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules of 22 nucleotides in length that have been characterized as regulators of messenger RNA (mRNA) regulating a number of developmental processes in plants and animals by silencing genes using multiple mechanisms. miRNAs have been extensively studied in various plant species; however, few information are available about miRNAs in perennial ryegrass, animal feed, and industrial raw materials. In this study, the 12 potential perennial ryegrass miRNAs were identified for the first time by computational approach. Using the newly identified miRNA sequences, the perennial ryegrass mRNA database was further used for BLAST search and detected 33 potential targets of miRNAs. Prediction of potential miRNA target genes revealed their functions involved in various important plant biological processes. Our result should be useful for further investigation into the biological functions of miRNAs in perennial ryegrass. The selected miRNAs representing four families were verified by RT-PCR experiment, indicating that the prediction method that we used to identify the miRNAs was effective.