Abstract: In order to detect how miRNA-mRNA interaction participates in drought response and drought memory ofA. squarrosum, the drought-sensitive ecotype AEX ofAgriophyllum squarrosumwas selected as the plant material, and transcriptome and sRNA sequencing were performed after three rounds of drought-rehydration treatments. A total of 341 and 7858A. squarrosummiRNAs (DEMIs) and mRNAs (DEMs) were identified in response to drought stress, respectively. The DEMI-DEM regulatory network showed that 24A. squarrosumDEMIs were involved in the regulation of 1423 DEMs, and these target genes were mainly involved in cell differentiation function. Two drought memory miRNAs (DMMIs), miR156 and miR6173, were identified, which regulated 11 and 6 drought memory genes (DMGs), respectively. Target genes for miR156 included three transcription factors (TFs):AsRWP-RK,AsC3H11, andAsWRKY33; the target genes for miR6173 included twoGSTs (glutathione S-transferase). In previous study,AsC3H11andAsWRKY33participated in theA. squarrosumdrought memory hierarchical regulatory network as TF molecular switches, soA. squarrosummiR156 could serve as a candidate hub for the “miRNA-transcription factor-functional gene” network. This study partially elucidated the molecular regulatory basis of drought response and drought memory inA. squarrosum, which will provide a theoretical basis for the development of stress-tolerant genetic resources in desert plants.

Key words: A. squarrosum, drought stress, drought memory, miRNA, transcriptome