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REVIEW article

Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Plant Genetics, Epigenetics and Chromosome Biology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1512047

Cross-kingdom regulation of plant microRNAs: potential application in crop improvement and human disease therapeutics

Provisionally accepted
Lei Shi Lei Shi 1Yuan Shen Yuan Shen 1*Chao Guo Chao Guo 1Miaomiao Fang Miaomiao Fang 1Yingmei Yang Yingmei Yang 1Fei Yin Fei Yin 2
  • 1 Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
  • 2 Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Plant microRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that usually negatively regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Recent data reveal that plant miRNAs are not limited to individual plants but can transfer across different species, allowing for communication with the plant, animal, and microbial worlds in a cross-kingdom approach. This review discusses the differences in miRNA biosynthesis between plants and animals and summarizes the current research on the cross-species regulatory effects of plant miRNAs on nearby plants, pathogenic fungi, and insects, which can be applied to crop disease and pest resistance. In particular, this review highlights the latest findings regarding the function of plant miRNAs in the transboundary regulation of human gene expression, which may greatly expand the 2 clinical applicability of plant miRNAs as intriguing tools in natural plant-based medicinal products in the future.

    Keywords: Plant miRNAs, miRNA biosynthesis, cross-kingdom regulation, MiRNA transfer, plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles

    Received: 16 Oct 2024; Accepted: 03 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Shi, Shen, Guo, Fang, Yang and Yin. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Yuan Shen, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.