Non Coding RNAs in Plants

In the most recent years, each of the RNA silencing pathways of plants have appeared to generate ncRNAs with dedicated functions, specialized biological activities and specific functional scopes. RNA silencing plays a crucial role in coordinating the expression, stability, protection and inheritance of eukaryotic genomes. It compromises several mechanisms, that invariably depend on core small non coding RNAs and that achieve dedicated sequence-specific functions. RNA silencing has been recognized to carry critical developmental, stress-response and bodyguard functions be coordinating the expression, protection, stability and inheritance of virtually all eukaryotic genomes. Thus, the ncRNAs encompass a wide set of mechanisms that achieve specialized functions.

Small non coding RNAs (ncRNAs), also known as the secret regulators of the cells, have been discovered only 20 years ago, and it has been much more recently that the attention of the scientific community has been turned towards the structure and function of ncRNAs in plants. Indeed, it has been found that the higher the organisms have been developed, the larger the numbers of ncRNA genes encoded in their DNAs.
With this book the editors have been able to solicit the best ncRNA plant researchers in the world to report on their most recent discoveries concerning the importance of small ncRNA in plants. The book is a “must” for those, who are interested in the molecular regulation processes involving ncRNAs in plants.