MiR5651, miR170-3p, and miR171a-3p Regulate Cadmium Tolerance by Targeting <i>MSH2</i> in <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>
The DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system plays a crucial role in repairing DNA damage and regulating cell cycle arrest induced by cadmium (Cd) stress. To elucidate the mechanism by which miRNAs target <i>AtMSH2</i> in regulating <i>Arabidopsis</i>’ response to Cd stress, the wild...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Plants |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/13/2028 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | The DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system plays a crucial role in repairing DNA damage and regulating cell cycle arrest induced by cadmium (Cd) stress. To elucidate the mechanism by which miRNAs target <i>AtMSH2</i> in regulating <i>Arabidopsis</i>’ response to Cd stress, the wild-type <i>Arabidopsis</i>, <i>Atmsh2</i> mutant, and three miRNA-overexpressing transgenic lines were grown hydroponically in half-strength MS solution containing cadmium (Cd) at concentrations of 0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 mg/L for 5 days. miRNA-seq analysis, bioinformatics prediction, dual-luciferase reporter assays, and qRT-PCR results demonstrated that miR5651, miR170-3p, and miR171a-3p specifically targeted <i>AtMSH2</i> and their expression levels showed a significant negative correlation. Compared to wild-type (WT) <i>Arabidopsis</i>, Cd stress tolerance was significantly enhanced in miRNA-overexpressing transgenic lines. Moreover, exogenous application of these three miRNAs in half-strength MS liquid medium also markedly improved Cd stress tolerance in wild-type <i>Arabidopsis</i>. Furthermore, the expression of these three miRNAs expression was further upregulated by Cd stress in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, DNA damage response in miRNA-overexpressing transgenic lines was promoted based on the expression of DNA repair, DNA damage signaling, and cell cycle genes, which differed from both wild-type and <i>Atmsh2</i> plants. Taken together, miR5651, miR170-3p, and miR171a-3p participated in Cd stress response and improved plant Cd tolerance by mediating the expression of <i>AtMSH2</i>. Our study provides novel insights into the epigenetic mechanisms of Cd tolerance in plants, which sheds light on breeding for stress resilience in phytoremediation. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2223-7747 |