Banana sRNAome and degradome identify microRNAs functioning in differential responses to temperature stress

We report the high-throughput profiling of miRNAs in banana. By deep sequencing and computational and molecular analyses, we identify 113 known and 26 banana-specific miRNAs and we characterize their expression pattern under cold and heat stress. We find that 42 banana miRNAs are temperature-responsive. By degradome sequencing, we identify 60 targets for known miRNAs and half of these targets are regulated by 15 temperature-responsive miRNAs. The correlative expression patterns between several miRNAs and their target genes are further validated via qRT-PCR. Our results provide a foundation for understanding the miRNA-dependent temperature stress response in banana and the characterized correlations between miRNAs and their responses to cold or heat stress could serve as markers in the breeding programs or tools for biotechnological approaches for improving temperature stress tolerance of banana. Overall design: Examination of miRNAs in banana peel tissue subjected to cold and heat stress.