Differential Expression of MicroRNAs Between 21A Genetic Male Sterile Line and Its Maintainer Line in Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Yujuan Zhang,Xuemei Feng,Fafu Shen,Zujun Yin

doi:10.5539/jps.v3n1p13

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a family of 19- to 25-nucleotides small non-coding RNAs that play important roles in regulation of many developmental processes in animals and plants, including flower development. In this study, the cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L . ) genetic male sterile (GMS) line and its maintainer line were used to detect miRNAs related to male sterility. Using a bioinformatic approach and miRNA microarray analysis, we identified 33 potential miRNAs belonging to 27 families in cotton. miRNA microarray and quantitative real-time PCR assays showed that miRNAs expressed differently at the sporogenous cell, pollen mother cell and pollen grain stages between the cotton GMS and its maintainer line. These cotton miRNAs may regulate 35 potential target genes involved in cotton growth and development, signal transduction and metabolism pathways. The expressions of four targets were contrary to the expression of their corresponding miRNAs. These findings enhance our understanding of the roles of miRNAs during fertile and sterile anther development.

Highlights

Male sterility is a ubiquitous biological phenomenon, and an important way to utilize heterosis in plants
Using a bioinformatic approach and miRNA microarray analysis, we identified 33 potential miRNAs belonging to 27 families in cotton. miRNA microarray and quantitative real-time PCR assays showed that miRNAs expressed differently at the sporogenous cell, pollen mother cell and pollen grain stages between the cotton genetic male sterile (GMS) and its maintainer line
Discussion miRNAs, such as miR156, miR159, miR164, miR166, miR172 and miR319 play important roles during the development of flower organs and some participate in the process of male sterility

Summary

Introduction

Male sterility is a ubiquitous biological phenomenon, and an important way to utilize heterosis in plants. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a newly discovered class of 19- to 25-nucleotides (nt) small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression by mRNA cleavage or translational repression in eukaryotes (Carrington & Ambros, 2003; Schwab et al, 2005; Axtell et al, 2007). They are processed from their double-stranded precursors by RNase III enzyme Dicer (Cobb et al, 2005). Grant-Downton et al, (2009) detected 33 different miRNA families in mature pollen independently by using quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) and identified seven putative novel miRNAs. Peng et al (2012) identified 47 known and 57 novel miRNAs during male gametophyte development in rice from sRNA-Seq datasets, and found www.ccsenet.org/jps

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