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<p>Drought stress is a significant threat to food security, especially for cereal crops. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are gene regulatory molecules involved in various biological and cellular processes, including stress response. This study combines the computational analysis and expression validation of drought-responsive miRNAs and their targets in four important cereal plants, namely maize, sorghum, wheat, and rice. We have&#xa0;presented the comparative morpho-physiological, biochemical, and molecular drought response parameters in seedlings exposed to 15% polyethylene glycol (PEG). The results indicate that sorghum exhibited the highest chlorophyll content and root-to-shoot ratio (cm) but the lowest proline accumulation during drought stress. Rice showed the lowest chlorophyll content accumulation and significantly higher and comparable proline accumulation in response to drought stress. We then identified the common drought-responsive miRNAs among the four cereal plants by analyzing the next-generation sequencing datasets. The analysis identified five conserved unique sequences of drought-responsive miRNAs across the four cereal crops. The identified miRNAs are involved in different plant growth and developmental processes, including flower induction and development, and they are directly or indirectly linked to crop yield. Drought-responsive miRNAs exhibited species- and tissue-specific expression patterns. MiR159b was downregulated in the roots of maize, rice, and sorghum but upregulated in wheat; in shoots, it showed the opposite trend. MiR160d-5p was induced in maize and sorghum roots but repressed in rice and wheat. MiR164f and miR167c-5p showed contrasting shoot–root expression across species. Notably, miR171f was upregulated in all tissues except maize shoots. These patterns underscore the complex regulatory roles of miRNAs in drought adaptation.</p>

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Comparative Expression Profiles of Stress-Responsive miRNAs and their Targets in Four Cereal Crops Exposed to PEG-Induced Drought

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年8月5日

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  • Sekinat Okikiola Azeez,
  • Temesgen Assefa Gelaw,
  • Kavita Goswami,
  • Neeti Sanan-Mishra

摘要

Drought stress is a significant threat to food security, especially for cereal crops. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are gene regulatory molecules involved in various biological and cellular processes, including stress response. This study combines the computational analysis and expression validation of drought-responsive miRNAs and their targets in four important cereal plants, namely maize, sorghum, wheat, and rice. We have presented the comparative morpho-physiological, biochemical, and molecular drought response parameters in seedlings exposed to 15% polyethylene glycol (PEG). The results indicate that sorghum exhibited the highest chlorophyll content and root-to-shoot ratio (cm) but the lowest proline accumulation during drought stress. Rice showed the lowest chlorophyll content accumulation and significantly higher and comparable proline accumulation in response to drought stress. We then identified the common drought-responsive miRNAs among the four cereal plants by analyzing the next-generation sequencing datasets. The analysis identified five conserved unique sequences of drought-responsive miRNAs across the four cereal crops. The identified miRNAs are involved in different plant growth and developmental processes, including flower induction and development, and they are directly or indirectly linked to crop yield. Drought-responsive miRNAs exhibited species- and tissue-specific expression patterns. MiR159b was downregulated in the roots of maize, rice, and sorghum but upregulated in wheat; in shoots, it showed the opposite trend. MiR160d-5p was induced in maize and sorghum roots but repressed in rice and wheat. MiR164f and miR167c-5p showed contrasting shoot–root expression across species. Notably, miR171f was upregulated in all tissues except maize shoots. These patterns underscore the complex regulatory roles of miRNAs in drought adaptation.