Biotech Updates

Researchers Identify miRNAs Involved in Fruit Development in Pears

November 5, 2014

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNAs responsible for mediating gene expressions after transcription. Previous studies have reported on miRNA in various plants, but, its role in pear (Pyrus bretschneideri) fruit development is still unclear. Jun Wu and Shaoling Zhang, researchers from Nanjing Agricultural University, investigated the miRNA of pear fruits from different stages of development.

Profiling showed about 90 miRNAs that were expressed differently between stages. Analysis of the target genes of miRNAs showed that miRNAs are widely involved in the regulation of fruit development. Eleven miRNAs participate in lignin biosynthesis, nine miRNAs take part in sugar and acid metabolism, and MiR160 regulates auxin response factor.

MiRNAs were proven to be involved in regulation of fruit development and fruit quality. This contributes valuable information for further research of miRNA in fruit development for pear and other species.

For more information on the study, read the full article here: http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1471-2164-15-953.pdf.