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A mobile signal transported over a long distance induces systemic transcriptional gene silencing in a grafted partner.

ABSTRACT: Transcriptional gene silencing (TGS) can be induced by promoter-targeted small interfering RNA (siRNA). Long-distance transmission of TGS by viral infection in plants has been reported. However, systemic TGS has not been observed in the case of using an inverted repeat transgene as the silencing trigger. Here it is reported that a mobile signal, presumably the siRNA, produced from a hairpin structure transgene controlled by a companion cell-specific promoter can also induce transmissible TGS in both a modified agroinfiltration and a grafting system. Although the transmissible TGS occurred only in cells located in the vicinity of a leaf vein in the scion, very strong silencing was observed in the root system, especially the lateral roots, including the root apical meristem. The transmissible TGS was maintained through tissue culture and subsequently inherited by the progeny. The results suggest the potential application of mobile promoter-targeting siRNA in horticulture for improvement of plant cultivars by grafting.

SUBMITTER: Bai S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3170550 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A mobile signal transported over a long distance induces systemic transcriptional gene silencing in a grafted partner.

Bai Songling S Kasai Atsushi A Yamada Kaori K Li Tianzhong T Harada Takeo T

Journal of experimental botany 20110607 13

Transcriptional gene silencing (TGS) can be induced by promoter-targeted small interfering RNA (siRNA). Long-distance transmission of TGS by viral infection in plants has been reported. However, systemic TGS has not been observed in the case of using an inverted repeat transgene as the silencing trigger. Here it is reported that a mobile signal, presumably the siRNA, produced from a hairpin structure transgene controlled by a companion cell-specific promoter can also induce transmissible TGS in ...[more]

PMID: 21652532

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Project description:Artificial small RNAs (art-sRNAs) are 21-nucleotide small RNAs (sRNAs) computationally designed to silence plant genes or pathogenic RNAs with high efficacy and specificity. They are typically produced in transgenic plants to induce silencing at the whole-organism level, although their expression in selected tissues for inactivating genes in distal tissues has not been reported. Here, art-sRNAs designed against the magnesium chelatase subunit CHLI-encoding SULFUR gene (NbSu) were agroinfiltrated in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves, and the induction of local and systemic silencing was analyzed phenotypically by monitoring the appearance of the characteristic bleached phenotype, as well as molecularly by analyzing art-sRNA processing, accumulation and targeting activity and efficacy. We found that the two classes of art-sRNAs, artificial microRNAs (amiRNAs) and synthetic trans-acting small interfering RNAs (syn-tasiRNAs), are able to induce systemic silencing of NbSu, which requires high art-sRNA expression in the vicinity of the leaf petiole but is independent on the production of secondary sRNAs from NbSu mRNAs. Moreover, we revealed that 21-nucleotide amiRNA and syn-tasiRNA duplexes, and not their precursors, are the molecules moving between cells and through the phloem to systemically silence NbSu in upper leaves. In sum, our results indicate that 21-nucleotide art-sRNAs can move throughout the plant to silence plant genes in tissues different from where they are produced. This highlights the biotechnological potential of art-sRNAs, which might be applied locally for triggering whole-plant and highly specific silencing to regulate gene expression or induce resistance against pathogenic RNAs in next-generation crops. The present study demonstrates that artificial small RNAs, such as artificial microRNAs and synthetic trans-acting small interfering RNAs, can move long distances in plants as 21-nucleotide duplexes, specifically silencing endogenous genes in tissues different from where they are applied. This highlights the biotechnological potential of artificial small RNAs, which might be applied locally for triggering whole-plant, highly specific silencing to regulate gene expression or induce resistance against pathogenic RNAs in next-generation crops.

Dataset Information

A mobile signal transported over a long distance induces systemic transcriptional gene silencing in a grafted partner.

Publications

A mobile signal transported over a long distance induces systemic transcriptional gene silencing in a grafted partner.

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