Study of microRNA mediated gene regulation in Striga hermonthica through in-silico approach

Abstract Striga hermonthica is a parasitic plant that attacks mostly cereal crops for its growth and development. S. hermonthica parasitism affects two thirds of the arable land and over 100 milion people. It is also well known as a folk medicine due to presence of flavonoids, terpenes, saponins, cardiac glycosides, alkaloids, tannins and coumarins miRNAs are important gene regulatory elements involved in almost all biological processes during different biotic and abiotic stresses in plants. Mobile small RNA are reported to move bidrection between parasitic plant and host plants. The study was to investigate the miRNA of S. hermonthica and miRNA mediated regulation of host plant Oryza sativa genes. In-silico identification of miRNAs revealed 13 conserved miRNA families (miR1846c-3p, miR1848, miR1851, miR1857-5p, miR2102-3p, miR2864.1, miR417, miR437, miR444e, miR529a, miR810b.2, miR156e, miR5564b). Approximately, 185 genes playing diverse roles have been predicted as targets for the identified 12 miRNA families (miR1848, miR1851, miR1857-5p, miR2102-3p, miR2864.1, miR417, miR437, miR444e, miR529a, miR810b.2, miR156e, miR5564b). Manipulation in miRNAs or their targets may be utilized for developing better crop protection strategies.