Comparative expression analysis of microRNAs and their targets in emerging bio-fuel crop sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.)

Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L) is a C4 plant, and it recently has emerged as model feedstock for biofuel production. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known key regulators in different biological processes plant including sugar accumulation. Despite bioinformatics analyses the discovery of miRNAs prediction targets recent years, little information available on expression mature candidate validation their sweet sorghum. This study aims to gain an insight conserved novel well potential associated with related traits, help next generation RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) followed by RT-qPCR validation. In order identify sorghum, small libraries were constructed from four varieties, i.e., Achi Turi, Dale, Dasht Local, Topper 76-6 after being grown under controlled conditions, sequenced Illumina Hiseq 2000 platform. Sequencing yield 12 libraries, 3 each variety leaf vegetative stage, reproductive stage stem ranged 19 48 million reads. Mapping Sorghum ensemble genome while aligned miRBase-release 21, 276 relevant predicted all varieties. Target employing psRNA tool indicated 475 identified miRNAs. We performed analysis selected 36 along 18 targets. Potential our included sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS), (SUS), transporters (SUT) invertase (INV) enzymes, which believed play role synthesis, accumulation transport. Altogether, 15 target mRNAs showed significant change three growth stages Significant down-regulation at was observed Sbi-miR160, Sbi-miR164, Sbi-miR166 Sbi-miR168 most varieties upregulation Sbi-miR156a Sbi-miR156e during stages. positive negative correlations between levels miRNA expressions that mRNAs. These findings, both computational experimental, provide valuable insights The identification these significantly expressed will explore molecular mechanisms