Abstract MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are types of transcriptional and post-transcriptional modulators of gene expression that play crucial roles in response to diverse stresses. Although significant progress on the miRNA-mediated gene regulation has been made recently in plant-nematode interactions, none has been reported on root-knot nematode (RKN, Meloidogyne spp.) infection in Cucumis metuliferus, which is a relative of cucumber with resistance to M. incognita. To gain insights into the regulatory roles of miRNAs for resistance to RKN in C. metuliferus, it is necessary to create expression profiles for miRNAs and their targets. In this study, ten miRNAs were identified from our miRNAs sequencing data of C. metuliferus for expression analysis through quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR). The results showed that RKN infection had a significant effect on both miRNAs expression and their corresponding targets in either resistant or susceptible plants but with differential expression. Moreover, four out of ten selected miRNA-target pairs, miR156-SBP, miR390-ARF3, ath-miR159a-MYB104 and aly-miR827-3p-PTI, exhibited inverse expression patterns between miRNAs and their targets, which laid a foundation for investigating resistance mechanisms induced in C. metuliferus by M. incognita infection. Additionally, the possible roles of these miRNAs have been discussed during C. metuliferus-RKN interactions.

中文翻译：

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MicroRNAs及其靶基因在根结线虫南方根结线虫感染的Cucumis metuliferus中的表达分析

摘要 MicroRNA (miRNA) 是基因表达的转录和转录后调节剂的类型，在应对各种压力方面发挥着关键作用。尽管最近在植物-线虫相互作用中在 miRNA 介导的基因调控方面取得了重大进展，但没有关于根结线虫（RKN，Meloidogyne spp.）感染 Cucumis metuliferus 的报道，Cucumis metuliferus 是黄瓜的亲戚，具有抗性M. incognita。为了深入了解 miRNA 在 C. metuliferus 中对 RKN 抗性的调节作用，有必要创建 miRNA 及其靶标的表达谱。在这项研究中，从我们的 C. metuliferus miRNA 测序数据中鉴定了 10 种 miRNA，用于通过定量逆转录 PCR (qRT-PCR) 进行表达分析。结果表明，RKN 感染对抗性或易感植物中 miRNA 的表达及其相应靶标具有显着影响，但具有差异表达。此外，十个选定的 miRNA-靶标对中的四个，miR156-SBP、miR390-ARF3、ath-miR159a-MYB104 和 aly-miR827-3p-PTI，在 miRNA 与其靶标之间表现出反向表达模式，这为研究奠定了基础M. incognita 感染在 C. metuliferus 中诱导的抗性机制。此外，在 C. metuliferus-RKN 相互作用期间讨论了这些 miRNA 的可能作用。ath-miR159a-MYB104 和 aly-miR827-3p-PTI 表现出 miRNA 与其靶标之间的反向表达模式，这为研究由 M. incognita 感染在 C. metuliferus 中诱导的抗性机制奠定了基础。此外，在 C. metuliferus-RKN 相互作用期间讨论了这些 miRNA 的可能作用。ath-miR159a-MYB104 和 aly-miR827-3p-PTI 表现出 miRNA 与其靶标之间的反向表达模式，这为研究由 M. incognita 感染在 C. metuliferus 中诱导的抗性机制奠定了基础。此外，在 C. metuliferus-RKN 相互作用期间讨论了这些 miRNA 的可能作用。