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Molecular Tools for Enhancing Food Security in Sustainable Agriculture
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Maryam Sadeghi   , Mohammad Reza Ghaffari * , Ali Mohammad Banaei Moghaddam |
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Abstract: (8 Views) |
Micropeptides have emerged as a novel class of regulatory molecules that play crucial roles in signaling networks, growth regulation, and plant architecture. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing technologies and bioinformatic analyses have revealed that a substantial portion of genomic regions previously considered non-coding are capable of producing biologically active small peptides. These micropeptides are typically encoded by short open reading frames (sORFs) located within intergenic regions, untranslated regions, and especially within non-coding RNAs such as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), and even primary microRNA transcripts. Increasing evidence indicates that micropeptides function as signaling ligands or intracellular regulators, orchestrating key developmental and physiological processes including meristem maintenance, lateral root formation, stomatal patterning, responses to biotic and abiotic stresses, and overall environmental adaptation in plants. Well-characterized families such as CLE, RGF, PSK, CEP, and EPF exemplify plant micropeptides that exert their effects through binding to membrane-bound receptors and activating downstream signaling cascades, ultimately modulating gene expression and cell differentiation. Collectively, improved understanding of micropeptides and their intimate relationship with non-coding RNAs provides new insights into plant growth regulation and opens promising avenues for crop improvement and sustainable agricultural strategies under the challenges of climate change and global food security.
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| Keywords: long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), Plant growth regulation, Plant signaling, Root system architecture |
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Full-Text [PDF 1673 kb]
(8 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Review |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2025/12/29 | Accepted: 2026/01/27
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