Heavy metal pollution is becoming a serious environmental problem around the world. High levels of heavy metals in soil can harm plant development and survival, severely limiting plant growth, agriculture, and forestry. Plants grow in an environment polluted by heavy metals. Excessive heavy metals entering the plant body can easily cause damage to the plant cell membrane system, which in turn affects the structure and function of organelles and causes various physiological and biochemical processes in the body to be disordered. If the synthesis of plant chlorophyll is inhibited or destroyed, the content of plant chlorophyll will decrease, and the activity of enzymes related to plant growth will be affected, etc., so that the photosynthesis of plants will be reduced, the absorption will be inhibited, and the material and energy supplied to plant growth will be reduced, thereby inhibiting plant growth. Even for the more tolerant plant species that can complete the life cycle, maintain the normal function of cells, and adapt to adversity, the effective energy in the process of plant growth must be consumed. Moreover, heavy metals may eventually enter the food chain, with serious consequences for human health.

LncRNA, as one of the three treasures of RNA (miRNA, lncRNA, and circRNA), is a class of non-coding RNA molecules with a length of more than 200 nt, which lacks an open reading frame (ORF) and no protein-coding function. In recent years, plant lncRNAs have been found to respond to heavy metals such as lead (Pb), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), and aluminum (Al). However, the mechanisms were less studied. With over years of experience in the field of plant molecular biology and RNA analysis, Lifeasible has a team of highly skilled scientists who specialize in plant lncRNA research and analysis. With our rich professional knowledge and project experience, as well as excellent scientists in the plant field, Lifeasible provides our customers with high data quality, high repeatability, one-stop service, and strong support for customer research.

Mechanisms of Plant lncRNA Response to Heavy Metal Stress

• Interaction with chromatin remodeling complexes

We provide analysis services for plant lncRNA in response to heavy metal stress by interaction with chromatin remodeling complexes. Plant lncRNAs can recruit chromatin modifiers to specific genomic loci, leading to alterations in chromatin structure and accessibility to transcriptional machinery. This allows for the precise regulation of stress-responsive genes.

• Acting as molecular sponges for microRNAs (miRNAs)

We provide an alternative resolution pathway for plant lncRNAs to cope with heavy metal stress, which can act as a molecular sponge for miRNAs. Plant lncRNAs can act as molecular sponges for microRNAs (miRNAs) and compete for miRNA binding sites, thereby modulating the availability of miRNAs for target gene regulation. This miRNA-based regulatory network is crucial for fine-tuning gene expression during heavy metal stress.

• Forming RNA-RNA duplexes

We also offer analysis of plant lncRNAs that directly interact with mRNA molecules, forming RNA-RNA duplexes to influence mRNA stability and translation efficiency. This provides an additional layer of complexity to the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in response to heavy metal stress.

Our Workflow

Fig. 1 Representative examples of how plant lncRNAs respond to heavy metal stresses. (Yang H, et al., 2023)

• Sample collection and extraction. We guide proper sample collection techniques to ensure the integrity of RNA. Our extraction methods are optimized for efficiently isolating both coding and non-coding RNA.
• RNA sequencing. Next-generation sequencing technologies are employed to generate high-throughput sequencing data of plant lncRNAs. Our bioinformatics pipelines ensure accurate mapping and quantification of lncRNA expression levels.
• Differential expression analysis. We perform rigorous statistical analysis on the sequencing data to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs in response to heavy metal stress. This allows for the identification of potential regulatory candidates for further functional analysis.
• Functional annotation. Through comprehensive bioinformatics analysis, we assign putative functions to differentially expressed lncRNAs. This includes predicting their potential target genes and the biological processes they may be involved in.
• Validation and experimental design. We provide experimental validation of identified lncRNAs using qRT-PCR or other techniques. Additionally, we offer consultation services for designing further experiments to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying plant lncRNA response to heavy metal stress.

Lifeasible utilizes the latest technologies in RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. This allows us to generate high-quality data and provide comprehensive insights into plant lncRNA response to heavy metal stress. If you are interested in our services or have questions, please feel free to contact us or make an online inquiry.

Reference

1. Yang H, et al. (2023). "Long Non-Coding RNAs of Plants in Response to Abiotic Stresses and Their Regulating Roles in Promoting Environmental Adaption." Cells. 12 (5), 729.

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