The multifaceted regulatory network of microRNA396: Orchestrating plant plasticity through coordinating development and various stresses.

Authors

Hang Yang, Ying Yan, Lixia Zhang, Junhua Ye, Kai Wang, Zejun Hu, Lingjuan Xie, Liming Cao, Shujun Wu, Zhenying Shi

Published in

Journal of integrative plant biology. Jun 21, 2026. Epub Jun 21, 2026.

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression in eukaryotes. Among them, miR396 targets GROWTH-REGULATING FACTOR (GRF) transcription factors and forms one of the most highly conserved regulatory modules in plants. Recent studies have greatly expanded the functional landscape of the miR396-GRF module, showing that, beyond its canonical role in leaf morphogenesis, it also participates in root meristem regulation, reproductive development, yield formation, tissue regeneration, and responses to diverse abiotic and biotic stresses. In crop plants, this module further controls agronomically important traits. Here, we summarize current knowledge of the evolutionary conservation and diversification of the MIR396 loci, the upstream pathways that control miR396 expression, and the developmental and stress-related outputs mediated by the miR396-GRF module. We also discuss evidence that miR396 functions as a context-dependent regulator rather than a simple growth suppressor, and highlight how precise manipulation of the miR396-GRF module may provide new opportunities for crop improvement by optimizing growth, regeneration, and stress resilience.

PMID:
42324803
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 22 Jun 2026.

Read full publication at:
Please sign in to see all details.

Stats

1-terrible, 9-excellent. How would you rate this publication? Sign in in to submit your rating.

Post a comment

You need to be signed in to post comments. You can sign in here.

Comments

There are no comments yet.