Genome-Wide Identification and Posttranscriptional Regulation Analyses Elucidate Roles of Key Argonautes and Their miRNA Triggers in Regulating Complex Yield Traits in Rapeseed

Argonautes (AGOs) interact with microRNAs (miRNAs) to form the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), which can posttranscriptionally regulate the expression of targeted genes. To date, however, the AGOs and their miRNA triggers remain elusive in rapeseed (<i>Brassica napus</i>). Here, we...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Liyuan Zhang, Bo Yang, Chao Zhang, Huan Chen, Jinxiong Xu, Cunmin Qu, Kun Lu, Jiana Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-01-01
Series:International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/3/2543
Description
Summary:Argonautes (AGOs) interact with microRNAs (miRNAs) to form the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), which can posttranscriptionally regulate the expression of targeted genes. To date, however, the AGOs and their miRNA triggers remain elusive in rapeseed (<i>Brassica napus</i>). Here, we systematically performed a phylogenetic analysis and examined the collinear relationships of the AGOs among four Brassicaceae species. Their physicochemical properties, gene structures, and expression patterns among 81 tissues from multiple materials and developmental stages were further analyzed. Additionally, their posttranscriptional regulation was analyzed using psRNATarget prediction, miRNA-/mRNA-Seq analyses, and a qRT-PCR verification. We finally identified 10 AtAGOs, 13 BolAGOs, 11 BraAGOs, and 24 BnaAGOs. An expression analysis of the <i>BnaAGO</i>s in the <i>B. napus</i> cultivar ZS11, as well as genotypes with extreme phenotypes in various yield-related traits, revealed the conservation and diversity of these genes. Furthermore, we speculated the posttranscriptional regulation of the <i>B. napus</i> miR168a–AGO1s and miR403–AGO2s modules. Combining miRNA-Seq and mRNA-Seq analyses, we found that the <i>B. napus</i> miR168a–AGO1s module may play an essential role in negatively regulating yield traits, whereas the miR403–AGO2s module positively impacts yield. This is the first attempt to comprehensively analyze the AGOs and their miRNA triggers in <i>B. napus</i> and provides a theoretical basis for breeding high-yielding varieties through the manipulation of the miRNA–AGOs modules.
ISSN:1661-6596
1422-0067