Identification and validation of miRNAs associated with the resistance of maize (Zea mays L.) to Exserohilum turcicum

PLoS One. 2014 Jan 29;9(1):e87251. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087251. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Northern leaf blight, caused by the fungus Exserohilum turcicum (Pass.), is a major disease of maize (Zea mays L.). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been recently reported as gene expression regulators related to several stress responses; however, evidence of the role of miRNAs in plant response to biotic stresses is limited. In this study, the miRNA expression patterns in maize in response to E. turcicum stress were investigated using a plant miRNA microarray platform. A total of 118 miRNAs were detected in mock- and E. turcicum-inoculated leaves. Among these miRNAs, miR530, miR811, miR829, and miR845 were identified as new miRNAs in maize through a homology-based approach. The secondary structures and putative targets of these miRNAs were also predicted. In addition, four miRNAs were differentially regulated in response to E. turcicum: miR811, miR829, miR845, and miR408. The functional annotation of the predicted targets indicated that these stress-responsive miRNAs regulate metabolic, morphologic, and physiologic adaptations in maize seedlings at the post-transcriptional level. Four targets were negatively correlated with their corresponding miRNAs (miR811, miR829, and miR408). Furthermore, we have demonstrated for the first time that miR811 and miR829 confers a high degree of resistance to E. turcicum, which can be used in maize breeding programs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Ascomycota / immunology*
  • Disease Resistance
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / immunology
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Annotation
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Plant Diseases / immunology
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology*
  • Plant Leaves / genetics
  • Plant Leaves / immunology
  • Plant Leaves / microbiology
  • Plant Proteins / genetics
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • RNA Interference
  • RNA, Plant / genetics*
  • RNA, Plant / metabolism
  • Stress, Physiological
  • Transcriptome / immunology
  • Zea mays / genetics*
  • Zea mays / immunology
  • Zea mays / microbiology

Substances

  • MicroRNAs
  • Plant Proteins
  • RNA, Plant

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (grant No. 31000913), and the website is http://isisn.nsfc.gov.cn/egrantweb/. This work was also supported by the Doctoral Fund of Ministry of Education of China (grant No. 20100204120024), the website is http://www.cutech.edu.cn/cn/index.htm. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.