Genetic male sterility (GMS) facilitates hybrid seed production in crops including cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum ). However, the genetic and molecular mechanisms specifically involved in this developmental process are poorly understood. In this study, small RNA sequencing, degradome sequencing, and transcriptome sequencing were performed to analyze miRNAs and their target genes during anther development in a GMS mutant (‘Dong A’...

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to play critical regulatory roles in gene expression in cotton. Although a large number of miRNAs have been identified in cotton fibers, the functions of miRNAs in seed development remain unexplored. In this study, a small RNA library was constructed from cotton seeds sampled at 15 days post-anthesis (DPA) and was subjected to high-throughput sequencing. A total of 95 known miRNAs were detect...