Characterization of alternate bearing-associated miRNAs in olive (Olea europaea L.)

Olive tree is an economically important plant as its leaves contain various antioxidants, fruits are used for brine production named table olive, and it is processed for olive oil, which has positive effects on human health. In this study leaf and fruit samples which belong to July-November months from on and off years collected in order to analyze of micro-RNAs (miRNAs) which play role in molecular and physiological mechanisms of periodicity in olive. Up to date no miRNA associated with periodicity has not been experimentally cloned and characterized in olive. In this thesis, miRNAs belonging to leaf and fruit in olive were identified and differential expressions were measured via small RNA library construction and high-throughput next generation sequencing. As a result, olive miRNAs which are 18-30 nt length were sequenced about 15 million reads in six sRNA (small RNA) libraries (unripe fruit, ripe fruit, on november leaf, off november leaf, on july leaf, off july leaf). 135 known members of 22 conserved miRNA families were identified in olive. Additionally 38 novel miRNAs have been identified. Moreover, the periodicity associated miRNAs and their target gene expressions were experimentally validated via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analyses. Consequently, olive alternate bearing associated miRNAs have been identified by the advantage of the various bioinformatics and experimental analyses.