Functional analysis of root microRNAs by a constitutive overexpression approach in a composite plant system

Abstract

Agrobacterium-mediated transformation is a fast and efficient method for genome modification in plants. In this protocol, we apply this technique for the analysis of root microRNA functionality. The induction of hairy roots constitutively overexpressing a given microRNA precursor allows us, in a simple way, to modify the accumulation of specific mature microRNA and analyze the consequence of this alteration on a phenotype of interest. This method generates ready-to-phenotype “composite plants” with untransformed aerial part and microRNA-overexpressing root system, in about 20 days.