Description

Plants are subject to high levels of DNA damage resulting from their obligatory dependence on sunlight and the associated exposure to environmental stresses. Irreversible DNA damage generated by genotoxic stresses hinders plant development and crop productivity. In order to maintain genome stability, plants have developed multiple mechanisms to detect and repair DNA damage. Among these, the intricate DNA damage response (DDR) network consists of an impressive array of DNA damage sensing and signal transduction pathways leading to DNA repair and cell survival or, alternatively, triggering cell death. Due to the essential role of DNA repair in maintaining genomic stability, tightly controlled regulatory mechanisms are required to oversee these processes. Among the different regulatory mechanisms known, post-transcriptional regulation mediated by microRNAs (miRNAs) has the potential to modulate the expression of genes that participate in a specific metabolic or developmental context in both plants and animals. Indeed, an interplay between DDR and miRNAs can be envisioned as DDR can modulate miRNA expression whereas miRNAs can directly or indirectly modulate the expression of multiple proteins belonging to the DDR pathways. Studies on human and animal cells have already demonstrated that the expression of DDR components can be modulated by miRNAs and are now exploring the DDR-miRNA interaction in view of therapeutic support. Instead, in plants, this topic has merely scratched the surface despite the considerable amount of research carried out to understand the role of miRNAs in shaping plant development and response to abiotic or biotic stresses. The role of miRNAs in the regulation of DNA damage sensing and repair mechanisms in plants in response to genotoxic stresses remains to be elucidated.

Within this context, the present Research Topic proposes to focus on the implication of miRNAs in the specific response to genotoxic stresses and their involvement in the maintenance of genome integrity through direct or indirect interactions with DDR components.
Scientists are invited to contribute with original research articles, as well as review articles and perspectives with the common aim to illustrate and stimulate the efforts to decipher the regulatory mechanisms underlying the interplay between miRNAs and DNA damage sensing and repair in plants.

This Research Topic includes, but is not limited to, the following aspects:
• Discovery and characterization of miRNA-DDR networks in plants
• Modelling and analysis of regulatory miRNA-gene-protein interactions involved in plant genotoxic responses and maintenance of genome integrity
• Interplay between miRNA, DNA damage, repair and signaling pathways
• Functional and bioinformatics approaches to study miRNAs implication in genotoxic stresses
• Genetic engineering and genome editing approaches to elucidate the roles of miRNAs and their target genes in plant genome stability and genotoxic stress.