# In Silico Genome-Wide Profiling of Conserved miRNAs in AAA, AAB, and ABB Groups of Musa spp.: Unveiling MicroRNA-Mediated Drought Response

## TL;DR

This study identifies conserved microRNAs in banana plants that help them respond to drought stress, offering insights into how these plants manage water scarcity.

## Contribution

The study presents a novel in silico approach to identify conserved miRNAs and their targets in Musa spp. under drought stress.

## Key findings

- 17 conserved miRNAs from 11 families were identified with specific energy profiles in Musa spp.
- Six miRNAs showed tissue-specific expression patterns in roots and leaves across three Musa groups.
- Four stress-responsive miRNAs inversely regulate their target genes involved in drought response.

## Abstract

Small non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in the degradation of the messenger RNAs (mRNAs) that are involved in various biological processes post-transcriptionally and translationally. Many plants, especially Musa spp. (plantains and bananas), which are important perennial herbs of the family Musaceae, experience significant yield loss due to abiotic stressors, yet only a few miRNAs involved in this response have been identified. This study employed in silico analyses of transcriptome shotgun assembly (TSA) and expressed sequence tag (EST) sequences to identify Musa miRNAs and their target genes. Leaf and root tissues from three Musa genomic groups (AAA, AAB, and ABB) under drought stress were analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) to validate the expression of miRNAs. A total of 17 potential conserved miRNAs from 11 families were identified, with the minimal folding free energies (-kcal/mol) of precursors ranging from −136.00 to −55.70, as observed through RNA folding analysis. Six miRNAs (miR530-5p, miR528-5p, miR482a, miR397a, miR160h, and miR399a) showed distinct tissue-specific expression patterns in the roots and leaves across the three groups. A total of 59 target regulatory transcription factors and enzymes involved in stress response, growth, and metabolism were predicted. Of these, 11 targets were validated for miR530-5p, miR528-5p, miR482a, and miR397a, using qRT-PCR. These four stress-responsive miRNAs exhibited an inverse expression relationship with their target genes across two different tissues in Musa groups. This research provides insights into miRNA-mediated drought stress responsiveness in Musa spp., potentially benefiting future studies on gene regulation under drought stress.