Identification of microRNAs in rice root in response to nitrate and ammonium

Nitrate and ammonium are two major nitrogen (N) sources for higher plants, but they differ in utilization and signaling. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an essential role in N signal transduction; however, knowledge remains limited about the regulatory role of miRNAs responsive to different N sources, especially in crop plants. To get global overview on miRNAs involved in N response in rice, we performed high-throughput small RNA-sequencing under different nitrate and ammonium treatments. The results demonstrated that only 16 and 11 miRNAs were significantly induced by nitrate and ammonium under short-term treatment, respectively. However, 60 differentially expressed miRNAs were found between nitrate and ammonium under long-term cultivation. These results suggested that miRNA response greatly differentiates between nitrate and ammonium treatments. Furthermore, 44 miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed between high- and low-N conditions. Our study reveals comprehensive expression profiling of miRNAs responsive to different N sources and different N treatments, which advances our understanding on the regulation of different N signaling and homeostasis mediated by miRNAs.