PtncRNAdb: plant transfer RNA-derived non-coding RNAs (tncRNAs) database

Area of Science:

• Plant molecular biology
• Bioinformatics
• Non-coding RNA research

Background:

• tRNA-derived non-coding RNAs (tncRNAs) are generated from tRNA cleavage and play roles in human diseases.
• tncRNAs are also found in plants, particularly under stress conditions, suggesting potential regulatory functions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a comprehensive, user-friendly, open-access web resource for plant tncRNAs.
• To facilitate research on the biological roles of tncRNAs in plant gene regulation, development, and stress response.

Main Methods:

• Curated 4,809,503 tncRNA entries from ~2500 small RNA-seq libraries across six plant species.
• Integrated search, browse, visualization, and download functionalities.
• Included BLASTN search, differential expression analysis module, secondary structure prediction, target prediction, and network analysis.

Main Results:

• Developed PtncRNAdb (https://nipgr.ac.in/PtncRNAdb) with extensive plant tncRNA data.
• Provided tools for data interpretation, including statistical visualization and functional enrichment analysis.
• Incorporated data on differentially expressed tncRNAs and their potential targets and interactions.

Conclusions:

• PtncRNAdb is an efficient and exhaustive database for plant tncRNAs.
• The resource will significantly aid researchers in understanding tncRNA functions in plant gene regulation, development, and stress tolerance.