Event Title

Effects of Abiotic Stress on miR393 in Soy Bean Plants

Presenter Information

Derick Che, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Location

CSU Ballroom

Start Date

11-4-2017 10:00 AM

End Date

11-4-2017 11:30 AM

Student's Major

Chemistry and Geology

Student's College

Science, Engineering and Technology

Mentor's Name

James Rife

Mentor's Department

Chemistry and Geology

Mentor's College

Science, Engineering and Technology

Description

Abiotic biotic stress is environmental conditions that reduce agricultural yield. Plants have evolved mechanisms to counteract these stresses. Since the plant hormone auxin regulates many aspects of plant development, it is a key factor in the stress response mechanism. Auxin causes the TIR1/AFB family of F-box proteins to trigger degradation of Aux/IAA transcriptional repressors. Relief of Auxin/IAA repression liberates the Auxin Response Factors to activate transcription of Auxin Responsive Genes. Some microRNAs play important roles in the auxin-signaling pathway by targeting mRNAs in this pathway for destruction. For example, this study focused on miR393, which targets the mRNA for the F-box protein AFB2. Previous work used RT-qPCR to measure AFB2 mRNA levels in soybeans under conditions of cold, drought and salinity stress. Root samples showed a 50% decrease in expression of AFB2 mRNA in drought and cold treated plants; whereas high salinity doubled the expression of AFB2 mRNA.

The objective of the current project was to measure miR393 levels in the samples used in the previous study to see if there was a correlation between miR393 and the AFB2 mRNA. No significant effects on the expression of miR393 were seen in root samples treated by the abiotic stressors. Moreover, there was no significant correlation between the levels of miR393 and AFB2 mRNA in these plants suggesting that factors other than miR393 are contributing to AFB2 mRNA expression.