miR1432 negatively regulates cold tolerance by targeting OsACAs

Abstract miRNAs function as negative regulators that significantly influence plant growth and stress responses. Within rice and other monocotyledonous plants, miR1432 plays a conserved role in seed development and disease resistance. However, its involvement in the response to abiotic stresses remains unclear. Our study aimed to elucidate this mechanism by predicting the targeting of the rice P‐type IIB Ca 2+ ATPase gene OsACAs by miR1432 and identifying its cleavage sites via 5′RACE. We observed induced expression of miR1432 and its target gene, OsACA6 , under abiotic stresses. Overexpression (OX) of miR1432 and suppression of OsACA6 resulted in reduced cold, salt, and drought tolerance, while OsACA6 suppression/knockout and OX had opposite effects on cold tolerance. Additionally, miR1432 may target other OsACA6 homologs. RNA‐sequencing data highlighted the differential expression of stress‐related genes in miR1432‐overexpressing rice. Furthermore, miR1432‐overexpressing rice exhibited weakened vigor, dwarfism, yellowing leaves and reduced fertility. Collectively, our results strongly suggest that miR1432 not only negatively modulates abiotic stress tolerance by suppressing Ca 2+ ATPase gene(s) but also influences plant growth and development.