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Small RNA Inheritance in Hybrids and Allopolyploids

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Non Coding RNAs in Plants

Part of the book series: RNA Technologies ((RNATECHN))

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Abstract

Small RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and trans-acting siRNAs (tasiRNAs), control gene expression and epigenetic regulation. Although the physiological and developmental roles of miRNAs and siRNAs have been extensively studied, their roles in morphological diversity among closely related species and in interspecific hybrids and allopolyploids are poorly understood. Here, we discussed recent findings of small RNA regulation with an emphasis on hybrids, interspecific hybrids, and allopolyploids. Divergence between siRNAs and inheritance of these siRNAs through maternal or paternal genome during gametogenesis may exert trans-acting effects on transposable elements and on genes that are important to genomic stability and phenotypic variation. Moreover, expression changes in miRNAs and tasiRNAs between related species or parents may play a role in target gene regulation that is important to growth and development in hybrids and allopolyploids. Inheritance of small RNAs through maternal or paternal genome in interspecific hybrids and allopolyploids are reminiscent of parent-of-origin effects of small RNA regulation on offspring in heterozygous organisms including humans.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests. Correspondence and requests for any materials should be addressed to ZJC (zjchen@mail.utexas.edu).

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Acknowledgment

The work is supported by the grants from the National Science Foundation Plant Genome Research Program (DBI0733857) and National Institutes of Health (GM067015), USA to ZJC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA

    Jie Lu & Z. Jeffrey Chen

  2. Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, One University Station, A-4800, Austin, TX, 78712, USA

    Jie Lu & Z. Jeffrey Chen

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  1. Jie Lu
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Correspondence to Z. Jeffrey Chen .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Chemistry/Biochemistry, Free University Berlin, Thielallee 63, Berlin, 14195, Berlin, Germany

    Volker A. Erdmann

  2. Inst. Bioorganic Chemistry, PAN Poznan, ul. Z. Noskowskiego 12/14, Poznan, 61-704, Poland

    Jan Barciszewski

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Lu, J., Chen, Z.J. (2011). Small RNA Inheritance in Hybrids and Allopolyploids. In: Erdmann, V., Barciszewski, J. (eds) Non Coding RNAs in Plants. RNA Technologies. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-19454-2_7

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