Characterization of the small RNA component of the transcriptome from grain and sweet sorghum stems
Open access
Date
2011-07-08Type
- Journal Article
ETH Bibliography
yes
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Abstract
Background
Sorghum belongs to the tribe of the Andropogoneae that includes potential biofuel crops like switchgrass, Miscanthus and successful biofuel crops like corn and sugarcane. However, from a genomics point of view sorghum has compared to these other species a simpler genome because it lacks the additional rounds of whole genome duplication events. Therefore, it has become possible to generate a high-quality genome sequence. Furthermore, cultivars exists that rival sugarcane in levels of stem sugar so that a genetic approach can be used to investigate which genes are differentially expressed to achieve high levels of stem sugar.
Results
Here, we characterized the small RNA component of the transcriptome from grain and sweet sorghum stems, and from F2 plants derived from their cross that segregated for sugar content and flowering time. We found that variation in miR172 and miR395 expression correlated with flowering time whereas variation in miR169 expression correlated with sugar content in stems. Interestingly, genotypic differences in the ratio of miR395 to miR395* were identified, with miR395* species expressed as abundantly as miR395 in sweet sorghum but not in grain sorghum. Finally, we provided experimental evidence for previously annotated miRNAs detecting the expression of 25 miRNA families from the 27 known and discovered 9 new miRNAs candidates in the sorghum genome.
Conclusions
Sequencing the small RNA component of sorghum stem tissue provides us with experimental evidence for previously predicted microRNAs in the sorghum genome and microRNAs with a potential role in stem sugar accumulation and flowering time. Show more
Permanent link
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000046889Publication status
publishedExternal links
Journal / series
BMC GenomicsVolume
Pages / Article No.
Publisher
BioMed CentralSubject
Flowering Time; Sugar Content; Sweet Sorghum; miRNA Family; Sugar AccumulationOrganisational unit
02207 - Functional Genomics Center Zurich / Functional Genomics Center Zurich
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ETH Bibliography
yes
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