ANNInter: A platform to explore ncRNA-ncRNA interactome of Arabidopsis thaliana

Abstract

Eukaryotic transcriptomes are remarkably complex, encompassing not only protein-coding RNAs but also an expanding repertoire of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). In plants, ncRNA-ncRNA interactions (NNIs) have emerged as pivotal regulators of gene expression, orchestrating development and adaptive responses to stress. Despite their critical roles, the functional significance of NNIs remains poorly understood, largely due to a lack of comprehensive resources. Here, we present ANNInter, a comprehensive platform that integrates computational predictions with experimental datasets to systematically identify and analyze NNIs. The current version catalogs over 90,000 interactions spanning eight categories of sRNA-to-longer ncRNAs, each extensively annotated with interaction types, identification methods, and functional descriptions. The integrated schema and advanced visualization framework in ANNInter enable users to explore intricate interaction networks, providing system-wide insights into ncRNA-mediated regulation. These interaction data provide unparalleled opportunities to uncover the regulatory roles of NNIs in key biological processes such as growth regulation, stress adaptation, and cellular signaling. By providing an extensive, curated repository of computational and degradome-based interaction data, ANNInter will provide a platform to the study of ncRNA biology, elucidating the complex mechanisms of NNIs and supporting the concept of competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) in gene regulation. The platform is freely accessible at https://www.nipgr.ac.in/ANNInter/.