small RNA and degradome RNA sequencing of barley malting stages

Malted barley is an important raw material for beer brewing, distilling, and baking. For this study Hordeum vulgare (barley) two-row spring cultivar "Conrad" seeds were malted, and samples were taken from 5 malting stages. Small RNA and degradome RNA libraries from each malting stage were sequenced on Illumina HiSeq 2500. Small RNAs have important gene-regulatory functions, and microRNAs target mRNAs for site-specific cleavage and degradation. Integration of small RNA sequencing and degradome sequencing data from the same malting stages will allow identification of microRNA-mediated cleavage sites in specific mRNAs in vivo.