Browsing by Author "Sarkar, Ananda K."

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Apple CALCINEURIN B-LIKE PROTEIN10 genes have evolved to be novel targets of miR167s through sequence variation
(Current Science Association, 2017) Kumar, Ashutosh; Sarkar, Ananda K.
The miR167s and its target ARF6/8 are relatively conserved among diverse plant species and have been implicated in reproductive and root development in Arabidopsis. Here we show that some of the CNBL family members have evolved to be targets of miR167s in apple. Despite strong conservation between apple and Arabidopsis CNBLs, AtCNBLs are not miR167 targets. The sequence variation in apple-miR167a and MdCNBLs has created target sites for apple-miR167a in MdCNBL10s. Therefore, we suggest that during the course of evolution, natural selection through sequence variation played a crucial role by choosing different targets among plant species for the same miRNA.
Auxin signaling modulates LATERAL ROOT PRIMORDIUM1 (LRP1) expression during lateral root development in Arabidopsis
(John Wiley & Sons, 2020) Singh, Sharmila; Yadav, Sandeep; Singh, Alka; Mahima; Singh, Archita; Gautam, Vibhav; Sarkar, Ananda K.
Auxin signaling mediated by various Auxin/Indole-3-Acetic Acid (Aux/IAAs) and AUXIN RESPONSE FACTORs (ARFs) regulate lateral root (LR) development by controlling the expression of downstream genes. LATERAL ROOT PRIMORDIUM1 (LRP1), a member of SHORT INTERNODES/STYLISH (SHI/STY) family, was identified as an auxin inducible gene. Precise developmental role and molecular regulation of LRP1 in root development remains to be understood. Here we show that LRP1 is expressed in all stages of LR development, besides primary root. The expression of LRP1 is regulated by histone deacetylation in an auxin dependent manner. Our genetic interaction studies showed that LRP1 acts downstream of auxin responsive Aux/IAAs-ARFs modules during LR development. We showed that auxin mediated induction of LRP1 is lost in slr-1 and arf7arf19 mutants roots. NPA treatment studies showed that LRP1 acts after LR founder cell specification and asymmetric division. Overexpression of LRP1 (LRP1 OE) showed increased number of LRPs at stage I, IV and V, resulting in reduced emerged LR density, which suggests that it is involved in LRP development. Interestingly, LRP1 induced expression of YUC4, which is involved in auxin biosynthesis, contributes to increased accumulation of endogenous auxin in LRP1 OE roots. LRP1 interacts with SHI, STY1, SRS3 and SRS7 proteins of SHI/STY family indicating their possible redundant role during root development. Our results suggest that auxin and histone deacetylation affect LRP1 expression, and it acts downstream of LR forming auxin response modules to negatively regulate LRP development by modulating auxin homeostasis in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Balanced activity of microRNA166/165 and its target transcripts from the class III homeodomain leucine-zipper family regulates root growth in Arabidopsis thaliana
(Springer, 2014) Singh, Archita; Singh, Sharmila; Panigrahi, Kishore C. S.; Reski, Ralf; Sarkar, Ananda K.
Overexpression of miR166/165 down-regulates target HD - ZIP IIIs and promotes root growth by enhancing cell division and meristematic activity, whereas overexpression of HD - ZIP IIIs inhibits root growth in Arabidopsis thaliana. Post-embryonic growth of higher plants is maintained by active meristems harbouring undifferentiated cells. Shoot and root apical meristems (SAM and RAM) utilize both similar and distinct signalling mechanisms for their maintenance in Arabidopsis thaliana. An important regulatory role in this context has the interaction of microRNAs with their target mRNAs, mostly encoding transcription factors. One class of microRNA166/165 (miR166/165) has been implicated in the maintenance of SAM and vascular patterning. Here, we show that miR166/165 plays an important role in root growth also by negatively regulating its target transcripts, HD-ZIP IIIs, in the RAM. While overexpression of miR166 promotes RAM activity, overexpression of its targets reduces RAM activity. These results reveal a conserved role of miR166/165 in the maintenance of SAM and RAM activity in A. thaliana.
Coevolution pattern and functional conservation or divergence of miR167s and their targets across diverse plant species
(Nature Publishing Group, 2015) Barik, Suvakanta; Kumar, Ashutosh; Das, Shabari Sarkar; Yadav, Sandeep; Gautam, Vibhav; Singh, Archita; Singh, Sharmila; Sarkar, Ananda K.
microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of endogenously produced small non-coding RNAs of 20-21 nt length, processed from precursor miRNAs, regulate many developmental processes by negatively regulating the target genes in both animals and plants. The coevolutionary pattern of a miRNA family and their targets underscores its functional conservation or diversification. The miR167 regulates various aspects of plant development in Arabidopsis by targeting ARF6 and ARF8. The evolutionary conservation or divergence of miR167s and their target genes are poorly understood till now. Here we show the evolutionary relationship among 153 MIR167 genes obtained from 33 diverse plant species. We found that out of the 153 of miR167 sequences retrieved from the "miRBase", 27 have been annotated to be processed from the 3' end, and have diverged distinctively from the other miR167s produced from 5' end. Our analysis reveals that gma-miR167h/i and mdm-miR167a are processed from 3' end and have evolved separately, diverged most resulting in novel targets other than their known ones, and thus led to functional diversification, especially in apple and soybean. We also show that mostly conserved miR167 sequences and their target AUXIN RESPONSE FACTORS (ARFs) have gone through parallel evolution leading to functional diversification among diverse plant species.
Conserved LBL1-ta-siRNA and miR165/166-RLD1/2 modules regulate root development in maize
(The Company of Biologists, 2021) Gautam, Vibhav; Singh, Archita; Yadav, Sandeep; Singh, Sharmila; Kumar, Pramod; Das, Shabari Sarkar; Sarkar, Ananda K.
Root system architecture and anatomy of monocotyledonous maize is significantly different from dicotyledonous model Arabidopsis. The molecular role of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) is poorly understood in maize root development. Here we address the role of LEAFBLADELESS1 (LBL1), a component of maize trans-acting short-interfering RNA (ta-siRNA), in maize root development. We report that the root growth, anatomical patterning, number of lateral roots (LRs) and monocot-specific crown roots (CRs) and seminal roots (SRs) are significantly affected in lbl1-rgd1 mutant, which is defective in production of ta-siRNA, including tasiR-ARF that targets AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR3 (ARF3) in maize. Altered accumulation and distribution of auxin, due to differential expression of auxin biosynthesis and transporter genes, created an imbalance in auxin signaling. Altered expression of microRNA165/166 (miR165/166) and its targets ROLLED1/2 (RLD1/2) contributed to the changes in lbl1-rgd1 root growth and vascular patterning, as was evident by altered root phenotype of Rld1-O semi-dominant mutant. Thus, LBL1/ta-siRNA module regulates root development, possibly by affecting auxin distribution and signaling, in crosstalk with miR165/166-RLD1/2 module. We further showed that ZmLBL1 and its Arabidopsis homolog AtSGS3 proteins are functionally conserved.
CRISPR-Cas9 directed genome engineering for enhancing salt stress tolerance in rice
(Elsevier B.V., 2019) Farhat, Sufia; Jain, Neha; Singh, Nisha; Sreevathsa, Rohini; Dash, Prasanta K.; Rai, Rhitu; Yadav, Sandeep; Kumar, Pramod; Sarkar, Ananda K.; Jain, Ajay; Singh, Nagendra K.; Rai, Vandna
Crop productivity in rice is harshly limited due to high concentration of salt in the soil. To understand the intricacies of the mechanism it is important to unravel the key pathways operating inside the plant cell. Emerging state-of-the art technologies have provided the tools to discover the key components inside the plant cell for salt tolerance. Among the molecular entities, transcription factors and/or other important components of sensing and signaling cascades have been the attractive targets and the role of NHX and SOS1 transporters amply described. Not only marker assisted programs but also transgenic approaches by using reverse genetic strategies (knockout or knockdown) or overexpression have been extensively used to engineer rice crop. CRISPR/Cas is an attractive paradigm and provides the feasibility for manipulating several genes simultaneously. Here, in this review we highlight some of the molecular entities that could be potentially targeted for generating rice amenable to sustain growth under high salinity conditions by employing CRISPR/Cas. We also try to address key questions for rice salt stress tolerance other than what is already known.
An efficient LCM-based method for tissue specific expression analysis of genes and miRNAs
(Nature Publishing Group, 2016) Gautam, Vibhav; Singh, Archita; Singh, Sharmila; Sarkar, Ananda K.
Laser Capture Microdissection (LCM) is a powerful tool to isolate and study gene expression pattern of desired and less accessible cells or tissues from a heterogeneous population. Existing LCM-based methods fail to obtain high quality RNA including small RNAs from small microdissected plant tissue and therefore, are not suitable for miRNA expression studies. Here, we describe an efficient and cost-effective method to obtain both high quality RNA and miRNAs from LCM-derived embryonic root apical meristematic tissue, which is difficult to access. We have significantly modified and improved the tissue fixation, processing, sectioning and RNA isolation steps and minimized the use of kits. Isolated RNA was checked for quality with bioanalyzer and used for gene expression studies. We have confirmed the presence of 19-24 nucleotide long mature miRNAs using modified stem-loop RT-PCR. This modified LCM-based method is suitable for tissue specific expression analysis of both genes and small RNAs (miRNAs).
Expression dynamics of miRNAs and their targets in seed germination conditions reveals miRNA-ta-siRNA crosstalk as regulator of seed germination
(Nature Publishing Group, 2018) Das, Shabari Sarkar; Yadav, Sandeep; Singh, Archita; Gautam, Vibhav; Sarkar, Ananda K.; Nandi, Asis K.; Karmakar, Prakash; Majee, Manoj; Sanan-Mishra, Neeti
Seed germination paves the way for the dormant embryo to establish itself as a new plant marking the first critical step in postembryonic plant growth and development. Germination starts with the uptake of water (imbibition), followed by induction of transcription, translation, energy metabolism, and cell division processes. Although small RNAs have been implicated in many developmental processes, their role during seed germination stages and conditions remained elusive. Here we show that seed germination conditions, like imbibition and temperature, dynamically regulate the expression of many developmentally important miRNAs and their targets. We have identified 58 miRNAs belonging to 30 different families at different seed germination conditions. Amongst these, 15 miRNAs and their targets were significantly differentially expressed in Arabidopsis seeds in dry and 12 h, 24 h and 48 h of imbibition. Interestingly, differential expression of miR390, which targets trans-acting siRNA locus (TAS3) derived transcripts, resulted in alteration of tasiR-ARF mediated regulation of expression of target AUXIN RESPONSE FACTORs (ARF2/3/4). Our results suggest that the dynamic expression of several miRNAs, their targets, and a crosstalk between miRNA and ta-siRNA pathways contribute to the regulation of seed germination in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Expression of abiotic stress inducible ETHE1-like protein from rice is higher in roots and is regulated by calcium
(John Wiley & Sons, 2014) Kaur, Charanpreet; Mustafiz, Ananda; Sarkar, Ananda K.; Ariyadasa, Thilini U.; Singla-Pareek, Sneh L.; Sopory, Sudhir K.
ETHYLMALONIC ENCEPHALOPATHY PROTEIN 1 (ETHE1) encodes sulfur dioxygenase (SDO) activity regulating sulfide levels in living organisms. It is an essential gene and mutations in ETHE1 leads to ethylmalonic encephalopathy (EE) in humans and embryo lethality in Arabidopsis. At present, very little is known regarding the role of ETHE1 beyond the context of EE and almost nothing is known about factors affecting its regulation in plant systems. In this study, we have identified, cloned and characterized OsETHE1, a gene encoding ETHE1-like protein from Oryza sativa. ETHE1 proteins in general are most similar to glyoxalase II (GLYII) and hence OsETHE1 has been earlier annotated as OsGLYII1, a putative GLYII gene. Here we show that OsETHE1 lacks GLYII activity and is instead an ETHE1 homolog being localized in mitochondria like its human and Arabidopsis counterparts. We have isolated and analyzed 1618 bp OsETHE1 promoter (pOsETHE1) to examine the factors affecting OsETHE1 expression. For this, transcriptional promoter pOsETHE1: 5-bromo-5-chloro-3-indolyl-β-D-glucuronide (GUS) fusion construct was made and stably transformed into rice. GUS expression pattern of transgenic pOsETHE1:GUS plants reveal a high root-specific expression of OsETHE1. The pOsETHE1 activity was stimulated by Ca(II) and required light for induction. Moreover, pOsETHE1 activity was induced under various abiotic stresses such as heat, salinity and oxidative stress, suggesting a potential role of OsETHE1 in stress response.
Giberellic acid-stimulated transcript proteins evolved through successive conjugation of novel motifs and their subfunctionalization
(American Society of Plant Biologists, 2019) Kumar, Ashutosh; Singh, Alka; Kumar, Pramod; Sarkar, Ananda K.
Gibberellic Acid Stimulated Transcript (GAST)-like genes encode small polypeptides, some of which have been implicated in diverse biological processes regulating plant growth and development. However, the occurrence of GASTs among plants, their protein structures, and the mechanisms by which they evolved remain elusive. Here, using a customized workflow, we report genes encoding GAST proteins, identify novel motifs and evolutionary patterns contributing to sub-functionalization of GAST domains, and explore functional conservation across diverse plants. We show that GAST-like sequences evolved initially in the vascular plant Selaginella moellendorffii, after the divergence from bryophytes, and later emerged in gymnosperms and angiosperms. GASTs in angiosperms are characterized by four conserved novel motifs; however, relatively fewer conserved motifs exist in pteridophytes and gymnosperms. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the GCR1 motif evolved early in S. moellendorffii GAST, which further acquired sub-functionalization through successive conjugation of other motifs and remained conserved across plants, as supported by their collinearity. Functional characterization of two orthologues from the dicot Arabidopsis thaliana (Ath-GASA10) and the monocot rice (Oryza sativa; Osa-GAST9) suggests hormonal regulation, novel roles in seed germination, and functional conservation among diverse plant groups. Computational modelling predicts that these GAST genes are regulated by several factors, including the phytohormones GA and ABA, through conserved cis-motifs present in their promoters, and that they might act as signaling molecules in a complex feedback loop. Thus, our study identifies GASTs and their encoded proteins, uncovers their structure, novel motifs, and evolutionary pattern among plants, and suggests their functional conservation.
Global transcriptional analysis reveals unique and shared responses in Arabidopsis thaliana exposed to combined drought and pathogen stress
(Frontiers Media S.A., 2016) Gupta, Aarti; Sarkar, Ananda K.; Senthil-Kumar, Muthappa
With frequent fluctuations in global climate, plants are exposed to co-occurring drought and pathogen infection and this combination adversely affects plant survival. In the past, some studies indicated that morpho-physiological responses of plants to the combined stress are different from the individual stressed plants. However, interaction of drought stressed plants with pathogen has not been widely studied at molecular level. Such studies are important to understand the defense pathways that operate as part of combined stress tolerance mechanism. In this study, Arabidopsis thaliana was exposed to individual drought stress, Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato DC3000 (Pst DC3000) infection and their combination. Using Affymetrix WT gene 1.0 ST array, global transcriptome profiling of leaves under individual drought stress and pathogen infection was compared with their combination. The results obtained from pathway mapping (KAAS and MAPMAN) demonstrated the modulation in defense pathways in A. thaliana under drought and host pathogen Pst DC3000 infection. Further, our study revealed ‘tailored’ responses under combined stress and the time of occurrence of each stress during their concurrence has showed differences in transcriptome profile. Our results from microarray and RT-qPCR revealed unique regulation of 20 novel genes exclusively during the stress interaction. This study indicates that plants exposed to concurrent drought and pathogen stress experience a new state of stress. Thus, under frequently changing climatic conditions each combination of stressor and their timing defines the plant responses and should thus be studied explicitly.
Identification and analysis of miRNAs-lncRNAs-mRNAs modules involved in stem-elongation of deepwater rice (Oryza sativa L.)
(John Wiley & Sons, 2022) Panda, Alok Kumar; Rawal, Hukam C.; Jain, Priyanka; Mishra, Vishnu; Nishad, Jyoti; Chowrasia, Soni; Sarkar, Ananda K.; Sen, Priyabrata; Naik, Soumendra Kumar; Mondal, Tapan Kumar
Deepwater is an abiotic stress that limits rice cultivation worldwide due to recurrent floods. The miRNAs and lncRNAs are two non-coding RNAs emerging as major regulators of gene expressions under different abiotic stresses. However, the regulation of these two non-coding RNAs under deepwater stress in rice is still unexplored. In this study, small RNA-seq and RNA-seq from internode and node tissues were analyzed to predict deepwater stress responsive miRNAs and lncRNAs, respectively. Additionally, a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) study revealed about 69 and 25 lncRNAs acting as endogenous target mimics (eTM) with the internode and node miRNAs, respectively. In ceRNA analyses, some of the key miRNAs such as miR1850.1, miR1848 and IN-nov-miR145 were up-regulated while miR159e was down-regulated, and their respective eTM lncRNAs and targets were found to have opposite expressions. Moreover, we have transiently expressed one module (IN-nov-miR145–Cc-TCONS_00011544-Os11g36430.3) in tobacco leaves. The integrated analysis has identified differentially expressed miRNAs, lncRNAs and their target genes, and the complex regulatory network, which might lead to stem elongation under deepwater stress. In this novel attempt to identify and characterize miRNAs and lncRNAs under deepwater stress in rice, we have provided, probably for the first time, a reference platform to study the interactions of these two non-coding RNAs with respective target genes through transient expression analyses.
Identification and co-evolution pattern of stem cell regulator miR394s and their targets among diverse plant species
(BioMed Central Ltd, 2019) Kumar, Ashutosh; Gautam, Vibhav; Kumar, Pramod; Mukherjee, Shalini; Verma, Swati; Sarkar, Ananda K.
Background Micro RNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs, have been implicated in various aspects of plant development. miR394 is required for shoot apical meristem organization, stem cell maintenance and abiotic stress responses in Arabidopsis, where it functions by negatively regulating the transcript level of target LEAF CURLING RESPONSIVENESS (LCR), which is an F-box protein-coding gene. The evolutionary conservation of stem cell regulatory miR394-LCR module among plants remains elusive. Results Our study has identified 79 miR394 and 43 target sequences across 40 plant species using various homology based search tools and databases, and analysed their co-evolution pattern. We customised an annotation workflow which computationally validates 20 novel miR394s from 14 plant species. Independent phylogenetic trees were reconstructed with precursor MIR394s, mature miR394s, and their target sequences along with complementary miR394 binding sites. The phylogeny revealed that mature sequences of miR394s as well as their targets belonging to the F-box protein encoding gene families, were highly conserved. Though, miR394–3p were complementary to miR394s/miR394–5p, they clustered separately. Conclusion The existence and separate clustering of miR394–3p and miR394s/miR394–5p indicate their independent regulation. The phylogeny also suggests that miR394s had evolved at the beginning of gymnosperm-angiosperm divergence. Despite strong conservation, some level of sequence variation in miR394s and the complementary binding sites of their targets suggests possible functional diversification of miR394-LCR mediated stem cell regulation in plants.
Improved laser capture microdissection (LCM)‑based method for isolation of RNA, including miRNA and expression analysis in woody apple bud meristem
(Springer Nature, 2019) Verma, Swati; Gautam, Vibhav; Sarkar, Ananda K.
Isolation of high-quality RNA, including miRNA, from microscopic woody apple bud meristem using laser capture microdissection-based method. It is often challenging to study the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) or genes in less accessible inner tissues of tree species rich in polyphenols or polysaccharides. Here, we report a laser capture microdissection (LCM)-based method for efficient and cost-effective isolation and expression analysis of miRNAs and genes in the meristem tissue of woody apple bud. The tissue fixation, processing, infiltration, and sectioning steps were optimized for LCM-based excision and subsequent RNA isolation. Further, we have confirmed that RNA isolated from LCM-derived apple bud meristem contained miRNAs and was of good quantity and quality, sufficient for downstream expression analysis.
Improved method of RNA isolation from laser capture microdissection (LCM)-derived plant tissues
(Springer Nature, 2019) Gautam, Vibhav; Singh, Archita; Singh, Sharmila; Verma, Swati; Sarkar, Ananda K.
Laser capture microdissection (LCM) is a tool to isolate desired and/or less accessible cells or tissues from a heterogeneous population. In the current method, we describe an efficient and cost-effective method to obtain both high-quality mRNA and miRNAs in sufficient quantity from LCM-derived plant tissues. The quality of the isolated RNA can be assessed using Bioanalyzer. Using modified stem-loop RT-PCR, we confirmed the presence of 21–24 nucleotide (nt) long mature miRNAs. This modified LCM-based method has been found to be suitable for the tissue-specific expression analysis of both genes and small RNAs (miRNAs).
Iron availability affects phosphate deficiency-mediated responses, and evidences of cross talk with auxin and zinc in Arabidopsis
(Oxford University Press, 2015) Rai, Vandna; Sanagala, Raghavendrarao; Sinilal, Bhaskaran; Yadav, Sandeep; Sarkar, Ananda K.; Dantu, Prem Kumar; Jain, Ajay
Phosphate (Pi) is pivotal for plant growth and development. Pi deficiency triggers local and systemically regulated adaptive responses in Arabidopsis thaliana. Inhibition of primary root growth (PRG) and retarded development of lateral roots (LRs) are typical local Pi deficiency-mediated responses of the root system. Expression of Pi starvation-responsive (PSR) genes is regulated systemically. Here, we report the differential influence of iron (Fe) availability on local and systemic sensing of Pi by Arabidopsis. P-Fe- condition disrupted local Pi sensing, resulting in an elongated primary root (PR). Altered Fe homeostasis in the lpsi mutant with aberration in local Pi sensing provided circumstantial evidence towards the role of Fe in the maintenance of Pi homeostasis. Reporter gene assays, expression analysis of auxin-responsive genes (ARGs) and root phenotyping of the arf7arf19 mutant demonstrated the role of Fe availability on local Pi deficiency-mediated LR development. In addition, Fe availability also exerted a significant influence on PSR genes belonging to different functional categories. Together, these results demonstrated a substantial influence of Fe availability on Pi deficiency-mediated responses of ontogenetically distinct traits of the root system and PSR genes. The study also provided evidence of cross-talk between Pi, Fe and Zn, highlighting a complex tripartite interaction amongst them for maintaining Pi homeostasis.
Laser assisted microdissection, an efficient technique to understand tissue specific gene expression patterns and functional genomics in plants
(Springer, 2015) Gautam, Vibhav; Sarkar, Ananda K.
Laser assisted microdissection (LAM) is an advanced technology used to perform tissue or cell-specific expression profiling of genes and proteins, owing to its ability to isolate the desired tissue or cell type from a heterogeneous population. Due to the specificity and high efficiency acquired during its pioneering use in medical science, the LAM technique has quickly been adopted for use in many biological researches. Today, it has become a potent tool to address a wide range of questions in diverse field of plant biology. Beginning with comparative transcriptome analysis of different tissues such as reproductive parts, meristems, lateral organs, roots etc., LAM has also been extensively used in plant-pathogen interaction studies, proteomics, and metabolomics. In combination with next generation sequencing and proteomics analysis, LAM has opened up promising opportunities in the area of large scale functional studies in plants. Ever since the advent of this technique, significant improvements have been achieved in term of its instrumentation and method, which has made LAM a more efficient tool applicable in wider research areas. Here, we discuss the advancement of LAM technique with special emphasis on its methodology and highlight its scope in modern research areas of plant biology. Although we put emphasis on use of LAM in transcriptome studies, which is mostly used, we also discuss its recent application and scope in proteome and metabolome studies.
miR394 enhances WUSCHEL-induced somatic embryogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana
(John Wiley & Sons, 2023) Lu, Lu; Holt, Anna; Chen, Xinying; Liu, Yang; Knauer, Steffen; Tucker, Elise J.; Sarkar, Ananda K.; Hao, Zhaodong; Roodbarkelari, Farshad; Shi, Jisen; Chen, Jinhui; Laux, Thomas
Many plant species can give rise to embryos from somatic cells after a simple hormone treatment, illustrating the remarkable developmental plasticity of differentiated plant cells. However, many species are recalcitrant to somatic embryo formation for unknown reasons, which poses a significant challenge to agriculture, where somatic embryogenesis is an important tool to propagate desired genotypes. The micro RNA394 (miR394) promotes shoot meristem maintenance in Arabidopsis thaliana, but the underlying mechanisms have remained elusive. We analyzed whether miR394 affects indirect somatic embryogenesis and determined the transcriptome of embryogenic callus upon miR394-enhanced somatic embryogenesis. We show that ectopic miR394 expression enhances somatic embryogenesis in the recalcitrant Ler accession when co-expressed with the transcription factor WUSCHEL (WUS) and that miR394 acts in this process through silencing the target LEAF CURLING RESPONSIVENESS (LCR). Furthermore, we show that higher endogenous miR394 levels are required for the elevated embryogenic potential of the Columbia accession compared to Ler, providing a mechanistic explanation for this natural variation. Our transcriptional analysis provides a framework for miR394 function in regulating pluripotency by expanding WUS-mediated direct transcriptional repression.
Phylogenetic analysis reveals conservation and diversification of micro RNA166 genes among diverse plant species
(Elsevier B.V., 2014) Barik, Suvakanta; SarkarDas, Shabari; Singh, Archita; Gautam, Vibhav; Kumar, Pramod; Majee, Manoj; Sarkar, Ananda K.
Similar to the majority of the microRNAs, mature miR166s are derived from multiple members of MIR166 genes (precursors) and regulate various aspects of plant development by negatively regulating their target genes (Class III HD-ZIP). The evolutionary conservation or functional diversification of miRNA166 family members remains elusive. Here, we show the phylogenetic relationships among MIR166 precursor and mature sequences from three diverse model plant species. Despite strong conservation, some mature miR166 sequences, such as ppt-miR166m, have undergone sequence variation. Critical sequence variation in ppt-miR166m has led to functional diversification, as it targets non-HD-ZIPIII gene transcript (s). MIR166 precursor sequences have diverged in a lineage specific manner, and both precursors and mature osa-miR166i/j are highly conserved. Interestingly, polycistronic MIR166s were present in Physcomitrella and Oryza but not in Arabidopsis. The nature of cis-regulatory motifs on the upstream promoter sequences of MIR166 genes indicates their possible contribution to the functional variation observed among miR166 species.
Phytohormonal crosstalk modulates the expression of miR166/165s, target Class III HD-ZIPs, and KANADI genes during root growth in Arabidopsis thaliana
(Nature Publishing Group, 2017) Singh, Archita; Roy, Shradha; Singh, Sharmila; Das, Shabari Sarkar; Gautam, Vibhav; Yadav, Sandeep; Kumar, Ashutosh; Singh, Alka; Samantha, Sukanya; Sarkar, Ananda K.
Both phytohormones and non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) play important role in root development in Arabidopsis thaliana. Mature miR166/165 s, which are derived from precursor transcripts of concerned genes, regulate developmental processes, including leaf and root patterning, by targeting Class III HOMEODOMAIN LEUCINE-ZIPPER (HD-ZIP III) transcription factors (TFs). However, their regulation through hormones remained poorly understood. Here, we show that several phytohormones dynamically regulate the spatio-temporal expression pattern of miR166/165 and target HD-ZIP IIIs in developing roots. Hormone signaling pathway mutants show differential expression pattern of miR166/165, providing further genetic evidence for multilayered regulation of these genes through phytohormones. We further show that a crosstalk of at least six different phytohormones regulate the miR166/165, their target HD-ZIP IIIs, and KANADI (KANs). Our results suggest that HD-ZIP IIIs mediated root development is modulated both transcriptionally through phytohormones and KANs, and post-transcriptionally by miR166/165 that in turn are also regulated by the phytohormonal crosstalk.