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Long non-coding RNAs: Fine-tuning the developmental responses in plants

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Abstract

Plant developmental biology is associated with various gene regulatory pathways involved in different phases of their life cycle. In course of development, growth and differentiation of different organs in plants are regulated by specific sets of gene expression. With the advances in genomic and bioinformatic techniques, particularly high-throughput sequencing technology, many transcriptional units with no protein-coding potential have been discovered. Previously thought to be the dark matters of genome, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are gradually gaining importance as crucial players in gene regulation during different developmental phases. Some lncRNAs, showing complementarity to microRNAs (miRNAs), are used as endogenous target mimics of specific miRNA family. A number of lncRNAs can also act as natural antisense transcripts to attenuate the expression of coding genes. Although lncRNA-mediated regulations have extensively been studied in animals, plant lncRNA research is still in its initial phase. The present review highlights the regulatory mechanism and different physiological aspects of lncRNAs in plant development. In plants, lncRNAs are found to be associated with a number of plant developmental functions such as lateral root development, vernalization, photomorphogenesis, pollen development, fiber development and nodulation. Understanding these potent roles of lncRNAs in plant development can further provide novel tools for crop improvement programs in future.

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Abbreviations

ABA:

abscisic acid

APOLO:

auxin-regulated promoter loop

ARF:

auxin response factor

ASCO-RNA:

alternative splicing competitor long non-coding RNA

CBP:

cap-binding protein

eTM:

endogenous target mimic

FLC:

FLOWERING LOCUS C

FT:

FLOWERING LOCUS T

HID1:

hidden treasure 1

LDMAR:

long day (LD)-specific male-fertility associated RNA

lincRNA:

long intergenic non-coding RNA

lncRNA:

long non-coding RNA

miRNA:

microRNAs

NAT:

natural antisense transcript

ncRNA:

non-coding RNA

NMD:

nonsense-mediated-mRNA decay

NSR:

nuclear speckle RNA-binding protein

PID:

PINOID

PIF:

phytochrome-interacting factor

PRC1:

polycomb recessive complex 1

RBP1:

RNA binding protein 1

RdDM:

RNA-dependent DNA methylation

siRNA:

small interfering RNA

sncRNA:

small non-coding RNA

snRNA:

small nuclear RNA

UBP1:

ubiquitin specific protease 1

UPF:

UP-frameshift protein

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Acknowledgements

We are thankful to the Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata 700019, West Bengal, India and Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Government College, New Town, Rajarhat, Kolkata 700156, West Bengal, India for necessary support.

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  1. Department of Botany, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Government College, New Town, Rajarhat, Kolkata, 700 157, India

    Riddhi Datta

  2. Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata, 700 019, India

    Soumitra Paul

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Correspondence to Soumitra Paul.

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Communicated by Manchikatla Venkat Rajam.

Corresponding editor: Manchikatla Venkat Rajam

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Datta, R., Paul, S. Long non-coding RNAs: Fine-tuning the developmental responses in plants. J Biosci 44, 77 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-019-9910-6

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