Using homology cloning method, a heat shock transcription factor (Hsf) like gene, ZmHsf-like, was cloned from maize (Zea mays) leaves. Sequence analyses showed that the open reading frame (ORF) of the gene ZmHsf-like is 1404 bp long, encoding 467 amino acids. The sequence of amino acids encoded by ZmHsf-like contains the most conserved and typical DNA-binding domain of Hsf family. By bombardment into onion epidermis, we firstly found that the ZmHsf-like was subcellular-located in nucleus. NucPred analysis revealed there is a classic NLS of KKRR peptide in protein. Real-time PCR showed that ZmHsf-like gene expressed in leaves, stems and roots of maize seedlings under normal growth conditions, and the highest expression level was in roots, lower in leaves and the lowest in stems. The ZmHsf-like gene expression could be up-regulated by heat shock, PEG, ABA, and H2O2 in different degrees, among which the heat shock and ABA worked more efficiently. Obvious differences of the peak value and its corresponding time point of ZmHsf-like gene expression were observed among treatments. Experiments with inhibitor further suggested that the up-regulation ZmHsf-like gene expression of heat shock was H2O2-dependent while the induction of ZmHsf-like with PEG did not depend on the existence of H2O2. These results pointed out that ZmHsf-like gene probably regulates responsive reactions to abiotic stresses especially heat shock and drought through different signal transduction pathways.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous ~22 nt RNAs that play important regulatory roles in targeting mRNAs for cleavageor translational repression. Despite the discovery of increasing numbers of human and mouse miRNAs, little is knownabout miRNAs from pig. In this study, we sought to extend the repertoire of porcine small regulatory RNAs using Solexasequencing. We sequenced a library of small RNAs prepared from immortalized swine umbilical vein endothelial cells(SUVECs). We produced over 13.6 million short sequence reads, of which 8 547 658 perfectly mapped to the pig genome.A bioinformatics pipeline was used to identify authentic mature miRNA sequences. We identified 154 porcine miRNAgenes, among which 146 were conserved across species, and 8 were pig-specific miRNA genes. The 146 miRNA genesencoded 116 conserved mature miRNAs and 66 miRNA*. The 8 pig-specific miRNA genes encoded 4 mature miRNAs.Four potential novel miRNAs were identified. The secondary structures of the 154 miRNA genes were predicted; 13miRNAs have 2 structures, and miR-9 and miR-199 have 4 and 3 structures, respectively. 36 miRNAs were organized into19 compact clusters. miR-206, miR-21 and miR-378 were the relatively highly expressed miRNAs. In conclusion, Solexasequencing allowed the successful discovery of known and novel porcine miRNAs with high accuracy and efficiency.Furthermore, our results supply new data to the somewhat insufficient pig miRBase, and are useful for investigatingfeatures of the blood-brain barrier, vascular diseases and inflammation.