Abstract: Objective: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are genome-encoded, small non-coding RNAs that play important functions in development, biotic and abiotic stress responses, and other processes. Our aim was to explore the regulation of miRNA expression. Methods: We used bioinformatics methods to predict the core promoters of 440 miRNAs identified from a soybean (Glycine max) degradome library and to analyze cis-acting elements for 369 miRNAs. Results: The prediction results showed that 83.86% of the 440 miRNAs contained promoters in their upstream sequences, and 8.64% (38 loci) in their downstream sequences. The distributions of two core promoter elements, TATA-boxes and transcription start sites (TSSs), were similar. The cis-acting elements were examined to provide clues to the function and regulation of spatiotemporal expression of the miRNAs. Analyses of miRNA cis-elements and targets indicated a potential auxin response factor (ARF)- and gibberellin response factor (GARF)-mediated negative feedback loop for miRNA expression. Conclusions: The features of miRNAs from a Glycine max degradome library obtained here provide insights into the transcription regulation and functions of miRNAs in soybean.

Key words: Glycine max, MicroRNA (miRNA), Promoter, Cis-acting element, Prediction

The online version of this article contains supplementary materials Table S1, Table S2, and Table S3

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