Regulation of High-Temperature Stress Response by Small RNAs

Temperature extremes constitute one of the most common environmental stresses that adversely affect the growth and development of plants. Transcriptional regulation of temperature stress responses, particularly involving protein-coding gene networks, has been intensively studied in recent years. High-throughput sequencing technologies enabled the detection of a great number of small RNAs that have been found to change during and following temperature stress. The precise molecular action of some of these has been elucidated in detail. In the present chapter, we summarize the current understanding of small RNA-mediated modulation of high- temperature stress-regulatory pathways including basal stress responses, acclimation, and thermo-memory. We gather evidence that suggests that small RNA network changes, involving multiple upregulated and downregulated small RNAs, balance the trade-off between growth/development and stress responses, in order to ensure successful adaptation. We highlight specific characteristics of small RNA-based tem- perature stress regulation in crop plants. Finally, we explore the perspectives of the use of small RNAs in breeding to improve stress tolerance, which may be relevant for agriculture in the near future

The role of microRNAs in the control of flowering time

The onset of flowering in plants is regulated by complex gene networks that integrate multiple environmental and endogenous cues to ensure that flowering occurs at the appropriate time. This is achieved by precise control of the expression of key flowering genes at both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional level. In recent years, a class of small non-coding RNAs, called microRNAs (miRNAs), has been shown to regulate gene expression in a number of plant developmental processes and stress responses. MiRNA-based biotechnology, which harnesses the regulatory functions of such endogenous or artificial miRNAs, therefore represents a highly promising area of research. In this review, the process of plant miRNA biogenesis, their mode of action, and multiple regulatory functions are summarized. The roles of the miR156, miR172, miR159/319, miR390, and miR399 families in the flowering time regulatory network in Arabidopsis thaliana are discussed in depth