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Former project:
Roles and targets of Arabidopsis microRNAs
Bonnie Bartel, Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology
bartel@rice.edu


MicroRNAs are ~21-nucleotide regulatory RNAs that are processed from hairpin precursors by Dice-like enzymes.  MicroRNAs can negatively regulate gene expression by attenuating translation, which is prevalent in animal systems, or by directing mRNA cleavage (see figure), which can occur in plants. 

In collaboration with the laboratory of David Bartel of the Whitehead Institute, we found that these tiny RNAs are present in plants and that regulatory targets of plant microRNAs can be reliably predicted as mRNAs with near-perfect complementarity to microRNAs.  We deciphered functions of several conserved microRNA-mRNA target pairs employing the now-classic dual approach of overexpressing microRNAs to reveal loss-of-target-gene phenotypes and expressing microRNA-resistant targets from native promoters to uncover loss-of-microRNA-regulation phenotypes.  We found that miR164 negatively regulates its mRNA targets to regulate organ separation; that miR160 controls ARF17 to direct auxin responses; and that miR398 can act as a translational repressor when target site complementarity is reduced.

(Press release on miR164; Press release on miR160)

Diana Dugas

Former lab members with microRNA projects:

Diana Dugas
(Ph.D. 2007)

We gratefully acknowledge support for this research from the NIH and the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Charitable Foundation.

Publications on microRNAs:

Other Bartel lab projects:
Auxin signaling, conjugates, peroxisomes, IBA

Criteria for annotation of plant microRNAs.
Meyers, B.C, Axtell, M.J., Bartel, B., Bartel, D.P., Baulcombe, D., Bowman, J.L., Cao, X., Carrington, J.C., Chen, X., Green, P.J., Griffiths-Jones, S., Jacobsen, S.E., Mallory, A.C., Martienssen, R.A., Poethig, R.S., Qi, Y., Vaucheret, H., Voinnet, O., Watanabe, Y., Wiegel, D., Zhu, J.K. (2008) The Plant Cell 20, 3186-3190.
Abstract; full text; PDF

Sucrose induction of Arabidopsis miR398 represses two Cu/Zn superoxide dismutases.
Dugas, D.V. and Bartel, B. (2008) Plant Molecular Biology 67, 403-417.
Abstract; full text

MicroRNAs and their regulatory roles in plants.
Jones-Rhoades, M.W., Bartel, D.P., and Bartel, B. (2006) Annual Review of Plant Biology 57, 19-53. (Review Article)
Abstract; full text

MicroRNAs directing siRNA biogenesis.
Bartel, B. (2005) Nature Structural & Molecular Biology12, 569-571. (Review Article)
Abstract; full text

MicroRNA-directed regulation of Arabidopsis AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR17 is essential for proper development and modulates expression of early auxin response genes.
Mallory, A.C., Bartel, D.P., and Bartel, B. (2005) Plant Cell 17, 1360-1375. (On the cover)
Abstract; full text

MicroRNA regulation of gene expression in plants.
Dugas, D.V. and Bartel, B. (2004) Current Opinion in Plant Biology 7, 512-520. (Review Article)
Abstract

MicroRNA regulation of NAC-domain targets is required for proper formation and separation of adjacent embryonic, vegetative, and floral organs.
Mallory, A.C., Dugas, D.V., Bartel, D.P., and Bartel, B. (2004) Current Biology 14, 1035-1046. (On the cover)
Abstract; full text

MicroRNAs.  At the root of plant development? 
Bartel, B. and Bartel, D.P. (2003) Plant Physiology 132, 709-717. (Review Article)
Full text; PDF

A uniform system for microRNA annotation.
Ambros, V., Bartel, B., Bartel, D.P., Burge, C.B., Carrington, J.C., Chen, X., Dreyfuss, G., Eddy, S.R., Griffiths-Jones, S., Marshall, M., Matzke, M., Ruvkun, G., and Tuschl, T. (2003) RNA 9, 277-279.
Abstract; full text; PDF

Prediction of plant microRNA targets.
Rhoades, M.W., Reinhart. B.J., Lim, L.P., Burge, C.B., Bartel, B., and Bartel, D.P. (2002) Cell 110, 513-520.
Abstract; full text; PDF

MicroRNAs in plants
Reinhart, B.J., Weinstein E.G., Rhoades M.W., Bartel B., Bartel D.P. (2002) Genes and Development 16, 1616-1626.
Abstract; full text; PDF