IC4R001-miRNA-2011-21362738

Project Title

Microarray-based analysis of cadmium-responsive microRNAs in rice (Oryza sativa)

The Background of This Project

[[File:|700px|thumb|right|Figure 1. GWA Analysis of Al Tolerance within and across Rice Subpopulations.]]

• MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that negatively regulate specific target mRNAs at the post-transcriptional level. Plant miRNAs have been implicated in developmental processes and adaptations to environmental stresses. Cadmium (Cd) is a non-essential heavy metal that is highly toxic to plants. To investigate the responsive functions of miRNAs under Cd stress, miRNA expression in Cd-stressed rice (Oryza sativa) was profiled using a microarray assay. A total of 19 Cd-responsive miRNAs were identified, of which six were further validated experimentally. Target genes were also predicted for these Cd-responsive miRNAs, which encoded transcription factors, and proteins associated with metabolic processes or stress responses. In addition, the mRNA levels of several targets were negatively correlated with the corresponding miRNAs under Cd stress. Promoter analysis showed that metal stress-responsive cis-elements tended to occur more frequently in the promoter regions of Cd-responsive miRNAs. These findings suggested that miRNAs played an important role in Cd tolerance in rice, and highlighted a novel molecular mechanism of heavy metal tolerance in plants.
• Cadmium (Cd) is a widespread heavy metal pollutant in the environment, originating mainly from industrial processes and phosphate fertilizers. Cd can be easily

taken up by plants, resulting in various toxicity symptoms,such as chlorosis, wilting, growth reduction, and cell death. The cellular toxicity caused by Cd might result from interactions with the carboxyl or thiol groups of proteins and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), inducing oxidative stress. Plants possess a range of mechanisms involved in Cd detoxification, including metal transport, chelation, and sequestration. For example, the natural resistance-associated macrophage protein (Nramp) transporter was reported to function in Cd uptake in Arabidopsis thaliana, whereas the intracellular chelation of Cd by glutathione (GSH) and phytochelatins (PCs) represented a ubiquitous detoxification strategy adopted by many plant species. Detoxification can also be achieved by proline synthesis. Although some of the molecules involved in Cd tolerance have been identified, the regulatory mechanisms involved are still largely unknown.

Research Findings

[[File:|700px|thumb|right|Figure 2. Haplotype analysis of the Nrat1 gene region.]]

Corresponding Author

• Susan R. McCouch(srm4@cornell.edu)