Small RNAs big impact: a review on microRNA-mediated tolerance in wheat under terminal heat

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of gene expression in plant responses to abiotic stresses, including heat stress. High temperatures during the critical developmental stages of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) drastically limit growth and production. Recent research has found that specific miRNAs regulate molecular complexes and physiological responses by targeting transcription factors, heat shock proteins, and signaling components, thereby modulating heat stress tolerance pathways. This review highlights current knowledge about heat-responsive miRNAs in wheat, including their validated targets and functional involvement in thermotolerance. In addition, we summarized the potential CRISPR/Cas9 (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats /CRISPR associated protein 9) genome editing tool for precise alteration of miRNA genes or their targets, degradome profiling, the secondary structure of miRNA, and how interplay of miRNAs with HSFs and HSPs in target gene regulation to improve heat resilience. A comprehensive understanding of miRNA-regulated networks presents novel possibilities for developing climate-resilient wheat varieties, thereby ensuring food security in the face of global warming.