Identification of Heat Stress-Responsive MicroRNAs in lentil (lens culinaris) and Their Target Genes

Reduction in crops yield due to global warming threatens food security. Response of plants to heat stress is a complex prosses. MicroRNAs play an essential role in heat stress response regulatory network with post-translational modification of transcript, specially transcription factors. Lentil is one of the most important legumes cultivated in Iran. The role of microRNAs, in response to biotic and abiotic stresses in lentil plant, has not been studied so far. In this study, in order to identify conserved miRNAs and their target genes in lentil under heat stress, the total RNA was extracted using Trizol reagent and the RNA samples were sequenced. Then, transcripts which did not code any protein were examined to identification of miRNA precursors. Finally, seven miRNAs were identified which belonged to six conserved miRNA families including miR408, miR172, miR169, miR167, miR166 and miR156 that miR408, miR169 and miR166 were downregulated and miR156 was upregulated in response to heat stress. Study of these miRNAs targets showed that, most of these miRNAs involved in regulation of heat stress-responsive transcription factors including of HSF, NF-Y subunits, ARR-B, WRKY, MYB, AP2 and C3H. This result can help to better understanding of gene expression regulatory network in response to heat stress.