Symbiodiniaceae microRNAs and their targeting sites in coral holobionts: A transcriptomics-based exploration

• Published in: Genomics (San Diego, Calif.) Calif.), 2022-07, Vol.114 (4), p.110404-110404, Article 110404
• Main Authors: Zhu, Yunchi, Liao, Xin, Han, Tingyu, Chen, J.-Y., He, Chunpeng, Lu, Zuhong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: microRNA; Reef-building coral; Symbiodiniaceae; Transcriptome
• ISSN: 0888-7543; 1089-8646
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2022.110404

Corals should make excellent models for cross-kingdom research because of their natural animal-photobiont holobiont composition, yet a lack of studies and experimental data restricts their use. Here we integrate new full-length transcriptomes and small RNAs of four common reef-building corals with the published Cladocopium genomes to gain deeper insight into gene regulation in coral-Symbiodiniaceae holobionts. Eleven novel Symbiodiniaceae miRNAs get identified, and enrichment results of their target genes show that they might play a role in downregulating rejection from host coral cells, protecting symbiont from autophagy and apoptosis in parallel. This work provides evidence for the early origin of cross-kingdom regulation as a mechanism of self-defense autotrophs can use against heterotrophs, sheds more light on coral-Symbiodiniaceae holobionts, and contributes valuable data for further coral research. •Eleven novel Symbiodiniaceae miRNAs.•The potential miRNA-based anti-rejection mechanism in coral holobionts.•Valuable data curation for further coral research.