A Novel miRNA from Flax ESTs and Its Role in the Flax–Flax Rust Phytopathosystem: In Silico Approach

Abstract MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a type of non-coding RNAs that are evolutionarily conserved in plants, playing a significant function in regulating gene expression in metabolic and physiological processes such as the biotic stress response. Flax is an annual herb cultivated for diverse purposes, including dietary and medicinal uses. This study aimed to identify and characterize novel flax miRNAs using computational approaches based on comparative genetics in the flax genome and predict their pathogen effector protein (Avr) targets related to the pathogenicity of Melampsora lini. As a result, one novel flax miRNA (miR156) was predicted in the flax genome using the expressed sequence tags (ESTs) database according to the proposed strict rules. Depending on their sequence complementarity, one potential miRNA target associated with the Avr gene was determined. The findings of the current investigation provide new insights into RNA-based molecular strategies for plant disease management.