Identification and expression profiling of microRNAs and their corresponding targets related to phytoremediation of heavy metals in jute (Corchorus olitorius var. O-9897)

A cost effective plant-based approach for the remediation of contaminated soil and water that pose a major environmental and human health problem, is termed phytoremediation. It takes advantage of the remarkable ability of plants to concentrate heavy metals and polluted compounds from the environment and to metabolize the same in their tissues. Industrialization and irrigation with heavy metal (i.e. As) polluted water is a source of contamination of the surface environment in Bangladesh. In the present study, a microRNA (miR319) and a gene (ATP-binding cassette transporter/ABC), known to be involved in heavy metal stress tolerance were identified in jute. Moreover profiling of heavy metal responsive microRNAs (miR159 and miR167) and their target genes (ABC and auxin responsive factor 8/ARF8) under three heavy metal stressors (As, Mn and Cr) indicated jute to be an accumulator of manganese (Mn) and chromium (Cr) but not arsenic (As). Furthermore, the experimental results suggest that down-regulation of jute-miR159 and jute-miR167 may confer better heavy metal tolerance in jute.