Genome-wide profiling of novel conserved Zea mays microRNAs along with their key biological, molecular and cellular targets and validation using an RT-PCR platform

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), which are typically non-coding RNAs that start off as endogenous molecules and regulate post-transcriptional levels of gene expression by mRNA degradation or translational repression. They are 18–26 nucleotides long, evolutionarily conserved and essential for predicting novel miRNAs in a variety of plants. Maize (Zea mays) is a significant food and forage crop in the globe today. In the present study, many maize miRNAs have been found to be associated with both plant development and responses to stress. In this study, 66 unique conserved maize miRNAs from 65 different miRNA families were predicted using several genomics-based methods and then verified using RT-PCR after the preparation of randomly chosen primers. Accordingly, using the psRNA Target method, 10294 distinct protein targets of these recently expected miRNAs have been attained. These targets contain 55 specific GO terms that have important biological, cellular and molecular targets. Likewise, the newly found maize miRNAs like zma-miR6224a is engaged in the reproduction process. Several novel maize miRNAs, such as zma-miR11339, 2922 and 6253 function as regulators and target genes that influence ageing, chemotaxis and karyogamy respectively. The newly predicted maize miRNAs including zma-miR1439 and 9774 are intended to inhibit the activities of voltage-gated ion channels and carbon-sulfur lyase respectively. Therefore, the results of the novel maize miRNAs target a variety of important genes that aid in controlling the environment for maize to improve crop output.