Control of sucrose accumulation in sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids) involves miRNA‐mediated regulation of genes and transcription factors associated with sugar metabolism
Miao Wang,
Ao‐Mei Li,
Fen Liao,
Cui‐Xian Qin,
Zhong‐Liang Chen,
Li Zhou,
Yang‐Rui Li,
Xiao‐Feng Li,
Prakash Lakshmanan,
Dong‐Liang Huang
Affiliations
Miao Wang
College of Agriculture/State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐bioresources/Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology Guangxi University Nanning China
Ao‐Mei Li
Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biotechnology and Genetic Improvement (Guangxi) Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Genetic Improvement/Sugarcane Research Institute Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences Nanning China
Fen Liao
Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biotechnology and Genetic Improvement (Guangxi) Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Genetic Improvement/Sugarcane Research Institute Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences Nanning China
Cui‐Xian Qin
Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biotechnology and Genetic Improvement (Guangxi) Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Genetic Improvement/Sugarcane Research Institute Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences Nanning China
Zhong‐Liang Chen
College of Agriculture/State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐bioresources/Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology Guangxi University Nanning China
Li Zhou
Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biotechnology and Genetic Improvement (Guangxi) Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Genetic Improvement/Sugarcane Research Institute Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences Nanning China
Yang‐Rui Li
Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biotechnology and Genetic Improvement (Guangxi) Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Genetic Improvement/Sugarcane Research Institute Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences Nanning China
Xiao‐Feng Li
College of Agriculture/State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐bioresources/Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology Guangxi University Nanning China
Prakash Lakshmanan
Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biotechnology and Genetic Improvement (Guangxi) Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Genetic Improvement/Sugarcane Research Institute Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences Nanning China
Dong‐Liang Huang
Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biotechnology and Genetic Improvement (Guangxi) Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Genetic Improvement/Sugarcane Research Institute Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences Nanning China
Abstract Sugarcane is an established industrial crop providing sugar, ethanol and biomass‐derived electricity worldwide. Cane sugar content is an important breeding target, but its improvement remains very slow in many breeding programmes. Biotechnology strategies to improve sucrose accumulation made little progress at the crop level, mainly due to the limited understanding of its regulation. miRNAs regulate many metabolic processes in plants. However, their roles and target genes associated with sugarcane sucrose accumulation remain unknown. Here, we conducted high‐throughput sequencing of transcriptome, small RNAs and degradome of leaves and stem of two early‐maturing sugarcane genotypes with contrasting sucrose content from the early to late stages of sucrose accumulation stages, which provided more insights into miRNA‐associated gene regulation during sucrose accumulation. The stem sucrose content in both genotypes increased steadily with time during sucrose accumulation stage. Transcriptome analysis identified 18,722 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between both genotypes during sucrose accumulation. The major DEGs identified were involved in starch and sucrose metabolism, and photosynthesis. miRNA sequencing identified 563 known and 281 novel miRNAs from both genotypes during sucrose accumulation. Of these, 311 miRNAs were differentially expressed. A combined transcriptome and miRNA data analysis revealed differentially expressed miRNA‐target mRNA pairs related to sugar metabolism, of which 46 targets were transcription factors (TFs). miR172, miR164, miR396 and miR169 appear to regulate AP2/ERF, NAC, GRF and bZIP TF members associated with sugar metabolism. This is the first report of sugarcane miRNAs associated with sugar accumulation.
