Title:Small Non-coding RNA in Plants: From Basic Science to Innovative
Applications
Volume: 12
Issue: 3
Author(s): Giulia Tarquini*Erika Cione*
Affiliation:
- GalaScreen Laboratories, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036,
Rende (CS), Italy
- GalaScreen Laboratories, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036,
Rende (CS), Italy
Keywords:
microRNAs, sRNAs, AGO, RISC, DCL, PTGS.
Abstract: Plants possess an arsenal of different classes of small RNAs (sRNAs) of variable size,
which play a regulatory role in a multitude of physiological and pathological processes via transcriptional
or post-transcriptional gene silencing. The hard challenges that agriculture will face in
the next few decades, such as an increasing demand for agrifood production related to the global increase
in population, have stimulated the development of innovative biotechnological approaches in
agriculture. In this regard, the use of artificial sRNAs has already been exploited successfully for
many purposes, including control of severe plant diseases, improvement of genetic and agronomic
traits of cultivated species, and increasing the nutritional value of plant foodstuffs. This strategy relies
on the application of synthetic sRNA molecules to induce specific physiological responses by
triggering appropriate RNA silencing pathways. This review contextualizes the use of artificial
sRNAs in consideration of the huge diversity of RNA silencing mechanisms in plants. Additionally,
the discussion also examines microRNAs from edible plants and exosome-like vesicles, also known
as plant-derived edible nanoparticles (ENPs), which themselves can act as micronutrients.