Involvement of a novel intronic microRNA in cross regulation of N-methyltransferase genes involved in caffeine biosynthesis in Coffea canephora

► MicroRNA mediated regulatory circuit in caffeine biosynthesis. ► Intronic miRNA identified from theobromine synthase gene ► Silencing of the host gene resulted in the altered expression of the target CcMTL ► The activity of the miRNA shown by RLM-RACE and Northern blot ► This mechanism of miRNA regulation previously unreported in plants