miRNA-regulation
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression by binding to target messenger RNAs, leading to their degradation or translational repression. In plants, miRNA-regulation plays a critical role in controlling development, stress responses, and nutrient homeostasis by fine-tuning the expression of genes involved in these processes. Understanding these regulatory networks helps researchers identify key genetic switches that could be targeted to improve crop resilience and productivity.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-06-30
Wheat plants use small RNA molecules to temporarily suppress calcium-channel activity during heat stress, then allow those channels to recover as temperatures ease. The study identifies five candidate miRNAs as likely control points in this circuit, and shows the regulatory response is sharper and faster in heat-tolerant wheat varieties.
Five miRNAs (tae-miR399, tae-miR167a, tae-miR156a, tae-miR164, tae-miR171a) were inferred as regulatory hubs controlling wheat GLR and CNGC calcium-channel transcripts under heat stress.
RT-qPCR over 0-72 hours of heat exposure showed early miRNA induction followed by reciprocal suppression of many channel transcripts, with partial recovery by 48-72 hours in the heat-tolerant genotype.
Wheat CNGC proteins were generally alkaline and predicted as less stable than GLRs; most GLR and CNGC proteins were predicted at the plasma membrane, with a chloroplast-targeted subset also identified.
