DRB1 and DRB2 Are Required for an Appropriate miRNA-Mediated Molecular Response to Salt Stress in <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>

In plants, microRNAs (miRNAs) and their target genes have been demonstrated to form an essential component of the molecular response to salt stress. In <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> (<i>Arabidopsis</i>), DOUBLE-STRANDED RNA BINDING1 (DRB1) and DRB2 are required to produce speci...

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Main Authors: Joseph L. Pegler, Jackson M. J. Oultram, Christopher P. L. Grof, Andrew L. Eamens
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Plants
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/6/924
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author Joseph L. Pegler
Jackson M. J. Oultram
Christopher P. L. Grof
Andrew L. Eamens
author_facet Joseph L. Pegler
Jackson M. J. Oultram
Christopher P. L. Grof
Andrew L. Eamens
author_sort Joseph L. Pegler
collection DOAJ
description In plants, microRNAs (miRNAs) and their target genes have been demonstrated to form an essential component of the molecular response to salt stress. In <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> (<i>Arabidopsis</i>), DOUBLE-STRANDED RNA BINDING1 (DRB1) and DRB2 are required to produce specific miRNA populations throughout normal development and in response to abiotic stress. The phenotypic and physiological assessment of 15-day-old wild-type <i>Arabidopsis</i> seedlings, and of the <i>drb1</i> and <i>drb2</i> mutants following a 7-day period of salt stress, revealed the <i>drb2</i> mutant to be more sensitive to salt stress than the <i>drb1</i> mutant. However, the assessment of miRNA abundance and miRNA target gene expression showed that the ability of both <i>drb</i> mutants to mount an appropriate miRNA-mediated molecular response to salt stress is defective. Furthermore, molecular profiling also showed that DRB1 and DRB2 are both required for miRNA production during salt stress, and that both a target transcript cleavage mode and a translational repression mode of RNA silencing are required to appropriately regulate miRNA target gene expression as part of the molecular response of <i>Arabidopsis</i> to salt stress. Taken together, the phenotypic, physiological, and molecular analyses performed here clearly show that all components of the miRNA pathway must be fully functional for <i>Arabidopsis</i> to mount an appropriate miRNA-mediated molecular response to salt stress.
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spelling doaj-art-dcec3a309da140728b8a3aca9e0ce5e42025-08-20T01:48:45ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-03-0114692410.3390/plants14060924DRB1 and DRB2 Are Required for an Appropriate miRNA-Mediated Molecular Response to Salt Stress in <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>Joseph L. Pegler0Jackson M. J. Oultram1Christopher P. L. Grof2Andrew L. Eamens3Centre for Plant Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, AustraliaCentre for Plant Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, AustraliaCentre for Plant Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, AustraliaSchool of Health, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD 4558, AustraliaIn plants, microRNAs (miRNAs) and their target genes have been demonstrated to form an essential component of the molecular response to salt stress. In <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> (<i>Arabidopsis</i>), DOUBLE-STRANDED RNA BINDING1 (DRB1) and DRB2 are required to produce specific miRNA populations throughout normal development and in response to abiotic stress. The phenotypic and physiological assessment of 15-day-old wild-type <i>Arabidopsis</i> seedlings, and of the <i>drb1</i> and <i>drb2</i> mutants following a 7-day period of salt stress, revealed the <i>drb2</i> mutant to be more sensitive to salt stress than the <i>drb1</i> mutant. However, the assessment of miRNA abundance and miRNA target gene expression showed that the ability of both <i>drb</i> mutants to mount an appropriate miRNA-mediated molecular response to salt stress is defective. Furthermore, molecular profiling also showed that DRB1 and DRB2 are both required for miRNA production during salt stress, and that both a target transcript cleavage mode and a translational repression mode of RNA silencing are required to appropriately regulate miRNA target gene expression as part of the molecular response of <i>Arabidopsis</i> to salt stress. Taken together, the phenotypic, physiological, and molecular analyses performed here clearly show that all components of the miRNA pathway must be fully functional for <i>Arabidopsis</i> to mount an appropriate miRNA-mediated molecular response to salt stress.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/6/924<i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> (<i>Arabidopsis</i>)salt stressmicroRNA (miRNA)gene expression regulationDOUBLE-STRANDED RNA BINDING (DRB) proteinDRB1
spellingShingle Joseph L. Pegler
Jackson M. J. Oultram
Christopher P. L. Grof
Andrew L. Eamens
DRB1 and DRB2 Are Required for an Appropriate miRNA-Mediated Molecular Response to Salt Stress in <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>
Plants
<i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> (<i>Arabidopsis</i>)
salt stress
microRNA (miRNA)
gene expression regulation
DOUBLE-STRANDED RNA BINDING (DRB) protein
DRB1
title DRB1 and DRB2 Are Required for an Appropriate miRNA-Mediated Molecular Response to Salt Stress in <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>
title_full DRB1 and DRB2 Are Required for an Appropriate miRNA-Mediated Molecular Response to Salt Stress in <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>
title_fullStr DRB1 and DRB2 Are Required for an Appropriate miRNA-Mediated Molecular Response to Salt Stress in <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>
title_full_unstemmed DRB1 and DRB2 Are Required for an Appropriate miRNA-Mediated Molecular Response to Salt Stress in <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>
title_short DRB1 and DRB2 Are Required for an Appropriate miRNA-Mediated Molecular Response to Salt Stress in <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>
title_sort drb1 and drb2 are required for an appropriate mirna mediated molecular response to salt stress in i arabidopsis thaliana i
topic <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> (<i>Arabidopsis</i>)
salt stress
microRNA (miRNA)
gene expression regulation
DOUBLE-STRANDED RNA BINDING (DRB) protein
DRB1
url https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/6/924
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