MicroRNAs play an important role in the regulation of strawberry fruit senescence in low temperature

• MiRNAs obtained from strawberry fruit stored at low temperature were analyzed.
• PC-5p-176409_20 repressed abscisic acid (ABA) signaling transduction.
• MiR167 reduced the jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis.
• MiR164, miR172, PC-5p-67794_53 and PC-5p-1004_3092 involved in fruit senescence.

To understand the microRNAs (miRNAs)-mediated mechanism of low temperature delaying non-climacteric strawberry fruit senescence during postharvest period, two small RNA (sRNA) libraries from strawberry fruit stored at low temperature for 24 and 48 h were constructed. A total of 88 known and 1224 novel potential candidate miRNAs were obtained and analyzed. Compared with the expression of miRNAs in strawberry fruit stored for 0 h, 108 miRNAs were up-regulated and 113 were down-regulated in fruit stored at 24 h, and 139 miRNAs were up-regulated and 114 were down-regulated in fruit stored at 48 h. In the process of fruit storage under low temperature, PC-5p-176409_20 repressed abscisic acid (ABA) signaling transduction via the PYR1/PYL1-PP2C-SnRK2 network, miR167 reduced the jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis by targeting auxin response factor 8(ARF8), and by which they were involved in delaying fruit senescence. MiR164, miR172, PC-5p-67794_53 and PC-5p-1004_3092 up- or down-regulated the expression of their target genes, NAC transcription factors, APETALA2.7 (AP2.7) transcription factor, alpha/beta-hydrolases superfamily protein and glycosyl hydrolase 9B1, respectively, and also involved in delaying fruit senescence under low temperature. These results give valuable information for understanding the role of miRNA in mediating the fruit senescence at low temperature.