ABSTRACT
Sessile organisms like plants have machinery to manage genotoxic ionizing radiation (IR). Genes related to DNA damage responses are upregulated during the manifestation of IR. Apart from the genes, several non-coding RNAs like microRNAs, small RNAs (siRNAs), and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are also found to be up/downregulated in response to UV rays and IR. Identification of siRNAs served as biomarkers for plants exposed to radiation. SiRNAs specifically induced by the double-strand breaks in living systems are called double-strand break-induced RNA and selectively bind to the break sites and recruit the chromatin modifiers and other protein machinery for the repair process. In recent years, it has become evident that many transposable elements are intimately associated with the biogenesis of lncRNAs. It will be prudent to discuss the cryptic relationship between the burst of transposable elements and lncRNAs in plants during IR exposure. Since IR is being exploited to breed mutant crop varieties worldwide and generate variability to withstand the rapid change in climate, discussing the relationship of siRNAs and other non-coding RNAs with DNA-damage response will explore new avenues for efficient mutation-breeding techniques in the future.
