REVIEW: Biogenesis, Evolution, and Functions of Plant microRNAs

---

P. P. Pashkovskiy¹ and S. S. Ryazansky^2*

¹Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Botanicheskaya 35, 127276 Moscow, Russia; E-mail: pashkovskiy.pavel@gmail.com

²Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kurchatov sq. 2, 123182 Moscow, Russia; E-mail: ryazansky@img.ras.ru

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received January 21, 2013

---

This review focuses on the biological role of one class of plant small RNAs, ~22-nt microRNAs (miRNAs). The majority of plant miRNA targets are genes encoding the effector factors of cell signaling pathways. The regulation of their expression is necessary for both ontogenesis and rapid response of plants to biotic and abiotic stress factors. We also summarized current views on the biogenesis and evolution of plant miRNAs as well as the techniques used for their investigation.

---

KEY WORDS: microRNA, stress, plant

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297913060084

---