AUTHOR=Dong Qingkun , Hu Binbin , Zhang Cui 

TITLE=microRNAs and Their Roles in Plant Development

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.824240

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2022.824240

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=Small RNAs are a type of small non-coding RNAs with a length of 20-24 nucleotides, of which microRNAs (miRNAs) play a distinct role in plant development. MiRNAs control target gene expression at the post-transcriptional level, through direct cleavage or inhibition of translation. MiRNAs participate in nearly all the developmental processes in plant, such as juvenile-to-adult transition, shoot apical meristem （SAM） development, leaf morphogenesis, floral organ formation and flowering time determination. This review summarizes the latest research progress in miRNA-mediated gene regulation and its role in plant development, to provide the basis for a further in-depth exploration regarding the function of miRNAs and the clarification of the molecular mechanism underlying the interaction of miRNAs and other pathways.