Analysis of microRNA Regulated Seed Biology Networks in Arabidopsis

Seed maturation and embryogenesis in plants are crucial event for food production of all human beings. Delayed seed maturation and abnormal embryo formation of food crops degrade the quality and quantity of food grains. By performing comparative gene analysis of different microarray experiments in different stages of embryogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana, using as model plant, here the authors identified a gene coexpression module in preglobular stage. In this module, different genes have been studied which are over-expressed during embryogenesis related with several KEGG metabolic pathways. Analysing the gene cluster evolved from network we concluded that microRNA regulates gene expression of two genes. One of them NRMP6, a metal ion transporter protein gene and second one SKS8, has copper ion binding activity, are regulated by miR167A/B. Since these two genes are also expressed during embryogenesis of other food crops e.g. rice tomato etc, so the microRNAs regulation on gene expression during embryogenesis can be extrapolated for other economically important seeds.