MicroRNA (miRNA) precursor miR156 is a family of plant non-coding RNA.

This microRNA has now been predicted or experimentally confirmed in a range of plant species (MIPF0000008).

[1] In plants the precursor sequences may be longer, and the carpel factory (caf) enzyme appears to be involved in processing.

In this case the mature sequence comes from the 5' arm of the precursor, and both Arabidopsis thaliana and rice genomes contain a number of related miRNA precursors which give rise to almost identical mature sequences.

This miRNA is involved in control of reproductive structures in liverworts.