Identifying the Soybean microRNAs Related to Phytophthora sojae Based on RNA Sequencing and Bioinformatics Analysis

Abstract

Phytophthora root rot in soybeans is caused by a pathogen called Phytophthora sojae (P. sojae), which results in a significant decrease in soybean production within affected regions. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNA molecules that play a key post-transcriptional regulatory role in eukaryotes. In this paper, the miRNAs that respond to P. sojae were analyzed from the gene level to complement the study of molecular resistance mechanisms in soybean. The study utilized high-throughput sequencing of soybean data to predict miRNAs that respond to P. sojae, analyze their specific functions, and verify regulatory relationships using qRT-PCR. The results showed that the miRNAs in soybean respond to P. sojae infection. MiRNAs can be transcribed independently, suggesting the presence of transcription factor binding sites in the promoter regions. Additionally, we performed an evolutionary analysis on conserved miRNAs that respond to P. sojae. Finally, we investigated the regulatory relationships among miRNAs, genes, and transcription factors, and identified five regulatory patterns. These findings lay the groundwork for future studies on the evolution of miRNAs responsive to P. sojae.