Although the regulation in Pi homeostasis of miR399 have been studied in
various plants, its molecular mechanisms in response to freezing stress
are still elusive. In this work, we found that the expression of
tae-miR399 and its target gene TaUBC24 in tillering nodes of
strong cold resistance winter wheat cultivar Dongnongdongmai1 (Dn1) was
significantly altered subjected to severe winter. tae-miR399 and its
target gene TaUBC24 were also responsive to short-term freezing stress
in tillering nodes of Dn1 seedlings. TaUBC24 physically interacted with
TaICE1. Ehanced freezing tolerance was observed in overexpressing
tae-miR399 Arabidopsis lines. Under freezing stress, overexpressing
tae-miR399 decreased the expression of AtUBC24 to increase the
expression of genes in CBF signaling pathway, Pi translocation pathway
and starch metablism, including AtCBFs, AtCOR47,
AtCOR413IM, AtPHT1;4, AtAPLs and AtBAMs,
inhibit the degradation of AtICE1 and AtPHO1, and promote the activities
of SOD, POD and CAT. These findings indicated that the increased
freezing tolerance was dependent upon elevating CBF signaling pathway,
phosphorus utilization efficiency, starch degradation, accumulation of
soluble sugar and ability of ROS scavenge. These results will aid our
understanding of molecular mechanism of how miR399-UBC24 module
plays a cardinal role in regulating plant freezing stress tolerance
through mediating the downstream pathways.