AGRO 133 |
| MicroRNA (miRNA) is an abundant class of newly identified non-coding small RNAs which play important roles in multiple biological processes, including developmental timing, signal transduction, disease, and cancer. Since initially recognized in 2002, thousands of miRNAs have been identified in animals, plants, and viruses. Recently, we developed a new approach to identify miRNAs using expressed sequence tag (EST) analysis. Using this approach, we have successfully identified more than 400 new miRNAs in 71 plant species. Based on this, we systematically studied the effect of agrochemicals and environmental stress on miRNA expression by searching the publicly available EST database. After searching more than 6 million ESTs, we observed 26% of EST contigs containing miRNAs related to different agrochemicals or environmental stresses. Of these ESTs, 22% were related to water stress, 19% related to temperature stress, and 29% related to pathogen infection. In addition, some ESTs were related to fertilizer stress or other agrochemical stress such as ABA, JA. We also observed that several miRNAs are most likely related to agrochemical stress and/or other environmental stress. Experimental studies indicate that sulfate starvation induces overexpression of miRNA 395, miRNA 402 is strongly overexpressed by dehydration, cold, salt stress, or ABA treatment, and miRNA 159 is regulated by GA. These results suggest that miRNAs play an important role in plant response to agrochemicals such as fertilizers, plant growth regulators, and pesticides, and environmental stress (cold, salinity, and drought). This finding could facilitate the design of new agrochemicals for improving crop growth and yield and allow for the testing of new agrochemicals at the molecular level. |
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Agrochemical Education Awards For Graduate Student Travel: Research Poster Presentations
1:00 PM-5:00 PM, Tuesday, 12 September 2006 Moscone Center -- Hall D, Poster
Sci-Mix
Division of Agrochemicals |