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A review on plant long non-coding RNAs during adaptation

From environmental responses to adaptation: the roles of plant long non-coding RNAs

The adaptability of plants to diverse and dynamic environments is crucial for their growth, survival, and reproduction as sessile organisms. To achieve this, plants have evolved complex mechanisms that allow them to recognize different stresses and modulate gene expression to respond to new environmental conditions. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as pivotal regulators of gene expression that can modulate plant plasticity in response to environmental fluctuations.

In a review recently published in Plant Physiology, members of the REGARN team at IPS2 proposed an overview of the current knowledge regarding the functional implications of lncRNAs in plant environmental responses and adaptation. First, the article summarizes recent advancements on the role of lncRNAs in responding to abiotic and biotic stresses. Then, the authors discuss the conservation and evolution of lncRNAs within ecotypes and/or plant species. These two aspects shed light on how these molecules may contribute to the evolutionary adaptation of plants to their specific environment. Finally, the authors propose key future questions that the research field needs to tackle, such as the ability to predict the function and evolution of lncRNAs, the possibility of selecting specific lncRNAs to increase plant stress resilience in agriculture, and the characterization of lncRNAs that are involved in stress memory.

Schematic figure conceptualizing the roles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in stress responses in plants. A. LncRNAs are key players allowing plants to cope with stress. B. Stress memory. Stress triggers plant defenses that are essential for survival. Repeated stress exposure and recovery actions develop stress memory (priming) to overcome repeated exposure to stress and improve plant survival, in a process where lncRNAs may play an important role. C. Conservation of lncRNAs in plant stress adaptation. LncRNAs exhibit differences in expression between natural accessions in response to stress, leading to their adaptation to different environments. Specific lncRNAs mediate stress response in Ecotype A (left) leading to plant stress tolerance, while they are absent or silenced in Ecotype B (right), leading to plant stress sensitivity.
Schematic figure conceptualizing the roles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in stress responses in plants. A. LncRNAs are key players allowing plants to cope with stress. B. Stress memory. Stress triggers plant defenses that are essential for survival. Repeated stress exposure and recovery actions develop stress memory (priming) to overcome repeated exposure to stress and improve plant survival, in a process where lncRNAs may play an important role. C. Conservation of lncRNAs in plant stress adaptation. LncRNAs exhibit differences in expression between natural accessions in response to stress, leading to their adaptation to different environments. Specific lncRNAs mediate stress response in Ecotype A (left) leading to plant stress tolerance, while they are absent or silenced in Ecotype B (right), leading to plant stress sensitivity.

01/03/2024