学术报告
题目：All things considered: the microRNA networks and their many roles in shaping the plants
报告人：Lei Li, Ph.D
College of Arts & Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
时间：2013年12月6日（周五）下午14:00 PM
地点：新生物楼411室
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of sequence-specific, trans-acting small RNAs that post-transcriptionally modulate gene expression. Despite a recent surge of interest in miRNA biology, our knowledge on transcriptional control of miRNA expression, full miRNA target spectrum, and their general and specific function in shaping the transcriptome and hence the phenome is still sparse. We are using high throughput approaches to map the structure, molecular genetics to sort out the function, and comparative genomics to trace the evolutionary changes of the miRNA networks in diverse plants. An intriguing discovery from our study is that coregulated miRNAs are able to independently excite large overlapping portions of the transcriptome. This finding leads us to propose that in addition to target cleavage and translation inhibition, a cohort of miRNAs may act through intermediate trans-acting small interfering RNAs to exert sophisticated control over a biological process. Further, by developing a novel computational tool and extensive deep sequencing data mining, we document that each of the 20 examined plant species has a repertoire of unique miRNAs. Together our results indicate that miRNAs are powerful and versatile regulators of plant metabolism and development. Tapping into miRNAs mediated gene circuits and regulatory routes will provide not only important insights into the molecular basis for adaptation and phenotypic diversity in plants, but also excellent opportunities for genetically engineering traits of agricultural importance.
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