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The long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a critical regulatory role in the host response to the viral infection. However, little is understood about the transcriptome architecture, especially lncRNAs pattern during the SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. In the present study, using publicly available RNA sequencing data of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) samples from COVID‐19 patients and healthy individuals, three interesting findings highlighted: (a) More than half of the interactions between lncRNAs‐PCGs of BALF samples established by three trans‐acting lncRNAs (HOTAIRM1, PVT1 and AL392172.1), which also exhibited the high affinity for binding to the SARS‐CoV‐2 genome, suggesting the major regulatory role of these lncRNAs during the SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. (b) lncRNAs of MALAT1 and NEAT1 are possibly contributed to the inflammation development in the SARS‐CoV‐2 infected cells. (c) In contrast to the 3′ part of the SARS‐CoV‐2 genome, the 5′ part can interact with many human lncRNAs. Therefore, the mRNA‐based vaccines will not show any side effects because of the off‐label interactions with the human lncRNAs. Overall, the putative functionalities of lncRNAs can be promising to design the non‐coding RNA‐based drugs and to inspect the efficiency of vaccines to overcome the current pandemic.

Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by a novel betacoronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has attracted top health concerns worldwide within a few months after its appearance. Since viruses are highly dependent on the host small RNAs (microRNAs) for their replication and propagation, in this study, top miRNAs targeting SARS-CoV-2 genome and top miRNAs targeting differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in lungs of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, were predicted. Methods All human mature miRNA sequences were acquired from miRBase database. MiRanda tool was used to predict the potential human miRNA binding sites on the SARS-CoV-2 genome. EdgeR identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection from GEO147507 data. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and DEGs annotation analysis were performed using ToppGene and Metascape tools. Results 160 miRNAs with a perfect matching in the seed region were identified. Among them, there was 15 miRNAs with more than three binding sites and 12 miRNAs with a free energy binding of −29 kCal/Mol. MiR-29 family had the most binding sites (11 sites) on the SARS-CoV-2 genome. MiR-21 occupied four binding sites and was among the top miRNAs that targeted up-regulated DEGs. In addition to miR-21, miR-16, let-7b, let-7e, and miR-146a were the top miRNAs targeting DEGs. Conclusion Collectively, more experimental studies especially miRNA-based studies are needed to explore detailed molecular mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Moreover, the role of DEGs including STAT1, CCND1, CXCL-10, and MAPKAPK2 in SARS-CoV-2 should be investigated to identify the similarities and differences between SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses., Highlights • miR-29 family had 11 binding site on the SARS-COV-2 genome. • miR-29a/b, 21, 761, 3130, 3167 and miR-3175 bound to the spike coding sequence. • miR-16, 146a, 21, 615 and let-7b/e targeted SARS-CoV-2 induced DEGs. • miR-146a, 203a, 24, 615 and miR-16 targeted DEGs involved in viral prosesess

Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) highlighted the importance of genetic variations on SLC22A3 and MIA3 genes in developing coronary heart disease (CHD) among different ethnicities. However, the influence of these variations is not recognized within the Iranian population. Hence, in the present study, we aim to investigate two key single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on CHD incidence in this population. For this purpose, from Tehran Cardiometabolic Genetic Study (TCGS), 453 individuals with CHD were selected as a case and 453 individuals as a control that matched their age and gender. After quality control of two selected SNPs, rs2048327 (SLC22A3) and rs17465637 (MIA3), we used genotyps resulted from chip-typing technology and conducted the logistic regression analysis adjusted for non-genetic risk factors to detect the possible association of these SNPs with the CHD development. Our findings demonstrated the rs2048327-G and rs17465637-C can significantly increase the risk of CHD development about two times in only males and females, respectively. Interestingly, in the male carriers of the risk allele (G) of rs2048327, the low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level can significantly predispose them to develop coronary heart disease in the future. According to our results, paying more attention to gender and genetic markers can help more efficient coronary heart disease screening and diagnosis.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is emerging as one of the serious public health issues in both developed and developing counties. Here, we surveyed the worldwide population differentiation in T2D-associated variants and assessed the genetic burden of the disease in an ongoing Tehran Cardio-Metabolic Genetic Study (TCGS) cohort represented the Iranian population. We found multiple SNPs that were significantly depleted or enriched in at least one of the five populations of 1,000 Genome Project (African, American, East Asian, European, and South Asian) as well as the Iranian population. Interestingly, TCF7L2, a well-known associated gene with T2D, harbors the highest number of enriched risk alleles almost in all populations except for East Asian, where this gene embraces the largest number of significantly depleted risk alleles. The polygenic risk score (PRS) of the enriched risk alleles was calculated for 1,867 diabetic and 2,855 non-diabetic participants in the TCGS cohort, interestingly demonstrating that the risk of developing T2D was almost two times higher in top PRS quintile compared with the lowest quintile after adjusting for other known risk factors.

Optimization of DNA extraction protocols for plant tissues and including endophytic microorganisms is a critical step of advanced plant-microbe interaction in agricultural studies. Pistachio ( Pistacia vera L.) root tissue contains high levels of polyphenols have been known as major extract contaminants and inhibitors of enzymatic activities during amplification. The present study aimed to develop reliable strategies to purify DNA from Pistachio root samples. Inhibiting substances were removed from DNA through a process including extraction with hot detergent contains SDS-Tris- EDTA, AlNH4(SO4)2.12H2O as chemical coagulating factor and CTAB-NaCl. Following typically organic extraction/alcohol precipitation, denaturing agarose electrophoresis performed to purify probable remain contaminants. The purified DNA was enough free of polyphenols based upon loss of color and spectral quality (260/230>1.6) and efficiently amplified during polymerase chain reaction particularly in the present of GC-clamp primers. This method proved well with detection of Glomus sp. (arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi) associated with Pistacia vera L. using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE).