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<p>Drought stress significantly impedes maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) productivity globally, a challenge exacerbated by climate change. This has necessitated a deeper understanding of the molecular adaptive mechanisms operating in the plants. Treatment with nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) before imposition of drought stress induces a protective response to drought stress and recovery in maize seedlings. The specific miRNAs and transcripts involved in this nutrient-stress interplay are not well-documented. This study integrates in-silico analysis with experimental expression profiling to unravel the complex miRNA-mediated regulatory networks in drought stressed maize seedlings (HKI-161, HKI-193-1, HQPM-1 and HQPM-7), particularly investigating the influence of N and P supplementation. Analysis of high-throughput sequencing datasets identified 136 miRNAs that showed significant differential expression during drought stress. Comprehensive in-silico prediction and analysis of their target genes revealed the miRNA-target pairs, which are involved in critical metabolic and stress response pathways, including photosynthesis, redox balance and nutrient homeostasis. Experimental validation showed consistent inverse correlation between selected miRNAs and their targets. The down-regulation of Zma-miR156l-3p and Zma-miR398b-3p highlighted a robust strategy for activating antioxidant pathways via <i>CAT</i> and <i>SOD</i>. Key miRNA–target modules such as Zma-miR399–<i>PHO2</i>, Zma-miR408–<i>Chemocyanin</i> and Zma-miR827–<i>SPX</i> emerged as critical nodes linking drought stress to nutrient allocation and metabolic adjustment. Importantly, N and P supplementation significantly enhanced target gene expression and stress-responsive pathways. Genotype-specific responses indicated higher drought tolerance in HKI-193-1 and lower tolerance in HKI-161. These findings underscore the synergistic role of miRNA-target interactions in fine-tuning nutrient management for enhancing drought resilience in maize.</p>

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Integrated Analysis of Drought-Responsive miRNA–Target Modules Link Drought Stress with Nitrogen and Phosphate Homeostasis in Maize

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月5日

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  • Temesgen Assefa Gelaw,
  • Kavita Goswami,
  • Neeti Sanan-Mishra

摘要

Drought stress significantly impedes maize (Zea mays L.) productivity globally, a challenge exacerbated by climate change. This has necessitated a deeper understanding of the molecular adaptive mechanisms operating in the plants. Treatment with nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) before imposition of drought stress induces a protective response to drought stress and recovery in maize seedlings. The specific miRNAs and transcripts involved in this nutrient-stress interplay are not well-documented. This study integrates in-silico analysis with experimental expression profiling to unravel the complex miRNA-mediated regulatory networks in drought stressed maize seedlings (HKI-161, HKI-193-1, HQPM-1 and HQPM-7), particularly investigating the influence of N and P supplementation. Analysis of high-throughput sequencing datasets identified 136 miRNAs that showed significant differential expression during drought stress. Comprehensive in-silico prediction and analysis of their target genes revealed the miRNA-target pairs, which are involved in critical metabolic and stress response pathways, including photosynthesis, redox balance and nutrient homeostasis. Experimental validation showed consistent inverse correlation between selected miRNAs and their targets. The down-regulation of Zma-miR156l-3p and Zma-miR398b-3p highlighted a robust strategy for activating antioxidant pathways via CAT and SOD. Key miRNA–target modules such as Zma-miR399–PHO2, Zma-miR408–Chemocyanin and Zma-miR827–SPX emerged as critical nodes linking drought stress to nutrient allocation and metabolic adjustment. Importantly, N and P supplementation significantly enhanced target gene expression and stress-responsive pathways. Genotype-specific responses indicated higher drought tolerance in HKI-193-1 and lower tolerance in HKI-161. These findings underscore the synergistic role of miRNA-target interactions in fine-tuning nutrient management for enhancing drought resilience in maize.