Manipulation of microRNA expression to improve nitrogen use efficiency

•The effect of nitrogen starvation on physiology and metabolism.•Gene expression patterns in response to nitrogen stress.•Nitrogen induced gene expression.•Regulation of nitrogen induced gene expression by small non-coding microRNAs.•Prospects for engineering miRNA to produce N-use efficient crops....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Plant science (Limerick) 2013-09, Vol.210, p.70-81
Main Authors: Fischer, Jeffrey J., Beatty, Perrin H., Good, Allen G., Muench, Douglas G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Crops, Agricultural
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
Genetic Engineering
Genomics
Metabolic engineering
microRNA
MicroRNAs - genetics
MicroRNAs - metabolism
Nitrogen - metabolism
Nitrogen starvation response
Nitrogen use efficiency
Plants - genetics
Plants - metabolism
Regulation
RNA, Plant - genetics
RNA, Plant - metabolism
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Summary:•The effect of nitrogen starvation on physiology and metabolism.•Gene expression patterns in response to nitrogen stress.•Nitrogen induced gene expression.•Regulation of nitrogen induced gene expression by small non-coding microRNAs.•Prospects for engineering miRNA to produce N-use efficient crops. Nitrogen is the key limiting nutrient required for plant growth. The application of nitrogen-based fertilizers to crops has risen dramatically in recent years, resulting in significant yield increases. However, increased production has come at the cost of substantial negative environmental consequences. Higher crop production costs, increased consumption of food and fertilizer, and a growing global population have led to calls for a “second green revolution” using modern genetic manipulation techniques to improve the production, yield, and quality of crops. Considerable research is being directed toward the study and engineering of nitrogen use efficiency in crop plants. The end goal is to reduce the amount of nitrogen-based fertilizer used and thereby reduce production costs and environmental damage while increasing yields. In this review, we present an overview of recent advances in understanding the regulation of nitrogen metabolism by the action of microRNAs with a view toward engineering crops with increased nitrogen use efficiency.
ISSN:0168-9452
1873-2259
DOI:10.1016/j.plantsci.2013.05.009