Seeds are life; they give life to plants that nurture the whole planet and provide a considerable source of food for us humans. The seeds have other hidden sides as well…and we have spotted some tools to unveil the secrets of seeds. Join us to explore the other side of the seed.

“From a small seed a mighty trunk may grow” (Aeschylus) … the seeds providing our daily bread have a huge, and often hidden, potential associated with food, medicines, or cosmetics. We have spotted an awsome molecular key to help us unfold some of these hidden secrets.
This key is called microRNA.
Scientifically speaking, microRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNA molecules with complex functions in controlling the activity of thousands of genes found in both plants and humans. Otherwise, imagine them as ‘little garden gnomes’ holding the garden key and taking care of gardening in order to grow perfectly beautiful flowers.
In plants, these microRNAs can oversee the plants’ adaptation to their surroundings and even aid them to adapt to harsh conditions.
Recently, the scientific community has made an amaizing discovery by showing that plant microRNAs can influence the activity of human genes. Imagine this as the ‘little garden gnomes’ being able to take care of your body. A new horizon has now been opened, a horizon where plant microRNAs, ingested through diet, became advocates of biomedical research by contributing to the cure of severe diseases like cancer or multiple sclerosis.
In view of these new information, our objectives are to identify microRNAs present in the seeds we eat daily, such as cereals or legumes, and verify their resistance during cooking along with their potential to target human genes.

The choice of species to study (rice, maize, and soybean) is made in view of the available scientific tools (e.g. databases, high- throughput molecular platforms) needed to carry out this investigation. By performing comprehensive and integrative analyses, it will be possible to aquire information on the roles that plant microRNAs might have on in our diet, wealthfare and health.

By comparing the microRNAs present in the crude seed with those preset in cooked food, resistant microRNAs with potential health benefits will be individualized and studied in the context of ‘a novel social network’ between plants and human beings.

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