Open AccessRole of micro RNA s in plant drought tolerance
Author(s) -
Ferdous Jannatul,
Hussain Syed S.,
Shi BuJun
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
plant biotechnology journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.525
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1467-7652
pISSN - 1467-7644
DOI - 10.1111/pbi.12318
Subject(s) - biology , rna , gene , hordeum vulgare , non coding rna , drought tolerance , limiting , hordeum , genetics , botany , poaceae , mechanical engineering , engineering
Summary Drought is a normal and recurring climate feature in most parts of the world and plays a major role in limiting crop productivity. However, plants have their own defence systems to cope with adverse climatic conditions. One of these defence mechanisms is the reprogramming of gene expression by micro RNA s (mi RNA s). mi RNA s are small noncoding RNA s of approximately 22 nucleotides length, which have emerged as important regulators of genes at post‐transcriptional levels in a range of organisms. Some mi RNA s are functionally conserved across plant species and are regulated by drought stress. These properties suggest that mi RNA ‐based genetic modifications have the potential to enhance drought tolerance in cereal crops. This review summarizes the current understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of plant mi RNA s, involvement of plant mi RNA s in drought stress responses in barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.), wheat ( Triticum spp.) and other plant species, and the involvement of mi RNA s in plant‐adaptive mechanisms under drought stress. Potential strategies and directions for future mi RNA research and the utilization of mi RNA s in the improvement of cereal crops for drought tolerance are also discussed.