Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous, highly conserved, small regulatory RNA molecules with a size of 19–24 nucleotides, micro in structure and macro in character and regulate gene expression in numerous developmental and signalling pathways. Transcribed from MIR genes, miRNAs act as key mediators of post-transcriptional gene regulation in eukaryotes. Biological functions of most miRNAs in plants include involvement in a huge range of biological processes such as development, signal transduction, biotic resistance, abiotic resistance, nutritional value and secondary metabolite biosynthesis. The miRNAs open a novel perspective to metabolic engineering, as miRNAs are involved in various biosynthetic pathways of secondary metabolites and their effects need to be explored. Current understanding about plant miRNAs, classical pathways of miRNA biogenesis and perspective analysis of RNAi and miRNA potent targets in metabolic engineering and potential in metabolic engineering in plants will be elucidated.KeywordsmiRNARNAiPost-translational gene regulationMetabolic engineeringSecondary metabolitesStress
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