Small RNAs of soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura

Small non-coding RNAs (17-30nt) are key players in many biological processes such as gene regulation, epigenetic modification, development and immunity against invading foreign organisms. We characterized the small RNA (sRNA) of the soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumura) , an invasive agricultural pest in the U.S. The soybean aphid small RNA was sequenced using the Illumina technology. The dataset was then analyzed for detection of known sRNAs using DSAP and miRanalyzer and potential novel micro RNAs (miRNA) were predicted using miRanalyzer. sRNAs were classified according to class, including miRNA, short-interfering RNA, small nuclear and nucleolar RNA. We identified a total of 116 known miRNAs representing 33% of the dataset. The majority (84%) of the detected miRNAs have previously been identified in other arthropods, including 9 miRNAs that are unique to the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris). Other non-coding RNA of bacterial and viral origin was also present in the dataset. A greater understanding of the role of sRNAs in soybean aphid biology could aid in the development of improved aphid management strategies.