A RNA network of reproductive specific non-coding RNAs

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26870796
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Plant molecular biology/Plant physiology; Developmental biology
• Research Institution: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University
• Principal Investigator: Reina Komiya 沖縄科学技術大学院大学, サイエンステクノロジーグループ, サイエンス・テクノロジー アソシエート (90631416)
• Research Collaborator: Le Tu Ngoc ; Ohouanagi Hajime ; Nonomura Ken-ichi ; Endo Masaki
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 長鎖non-coding RNA / small RNA / 非コードゲノム / イネ / 生殖

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Successful sexual reproduction in flowering plants depends on accurate germ cell differentiation. Molecular mechanisms of germ cell development during pre-meiotic stages remain unknown in plants. I have identified over 700 types of long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs) specifically expressed during rice reproductive stages. These lincRNAs that contain the consensus sequences of microRNA 2118 (miR2118), are precursors of 21-nucleotides small RNAs (Komiya et al., 2014, Komiya 2017). Furthermore, I am engaged in two main projects using rice: 1. Roles of over 700 lincRNAs and 21-nt small RNAs in early reproduction and 2. Transcriptional regulation of 700 lincRNAs by CRF1. Some lincRNA mutants and crf1 mutants showed sterility. Furthermore, some lincRNAs expressions are suppressed in crf mutants. These results suggest that multiple lincRNAs may regulate early reproduction and CRF is required for development of rice reproductive tissues (Komiya unpublished data).

Free Research Field

発生