MicroRNA-mediated bioengineering for climate-resilience in crops

Area of Science:

• Plant molecular biology and genetics.
• Agricultural science and crop improvement.

Background:

• Climate change and environmental shifts pose significant threats to global food security, impacting crop yield and quality.
• Plants possess intricate molecular mechanisms, including small non-coding RNAs like microRNAs (miRNAs), to respond to environmental stressors such as salinity, drought, and temperature fluctuations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current understanding of plant miRNAs and their crucial roles in regulating gene expression during stress responses.
• To explore the potential of tailoring miRNAs and their target pathways for developing crops with enhanced tolerance to multiple environmental stresses.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on plant miRNA research, focusing on stress tolerance mechanisms.
• Discussion of modern tools and techniques for miRNA identification, characterization, and validation, including computational approaches (in silico tools, machine learning, artificial intelligence).
• Examination of various genetic engineering strategies for modulating miRNA activity (up-regulation or knock-out).

Main Results:

• Overexpression of specific miRNAs (e.g., Os-miR408, Hv-miR82, OsmiR535A, miR156) has demonstrated success in conferring tolerance to drought, salinity, and combined stresses in crop plants.
• miRNA manipulation can also improve physiological processes like carbon dioxide fixation and radiation utilization efficiency.
• The review highlights the significant potential of miRNAs in developing climate-smart agriculture.

Conclusions:

• MicroRNAs are vital regulators of plant adaptation to environmental stress.
• Harnessing miRNA technology presents a powerful strategy for bioengineering climate-resilient crops capable of withstanding adverse conditions with minimal yield loss.
• Further research and application of advanced tools are essential for realizing the full potential of miRNAs in sustainable agriculture.