Control of cell proliferation by microRNAs in plants

Plants have the ability to generate different and new organs throughout their life cycle. Organ growth is mostly determined by the combinatory effects of cell proliferation and cell expansion. Still, organ size and shape are adjusted constantly by environmental conditions and developmental timing. The plasticity of plant development is further illustrated by the diverse organ forms found in nature. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to control key biological processes in plants. In this review, we will discuss recent findings showing the participation of miRNA networks in the regulation of cell proliferation and organ growth. It has become clear that miRNA networks play both integrative and specific roles in the control of organ development in Arabidopsis thaliana. Furthermore, recent work in different species demonstrated a broad role for miR396 in the control of organ size, and that specific tuning of the miR396 network can improve crop yield.