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Vanhevel Y, De Moor A, Muylle H, Vanholme R, Boerjan W. Breeding for improved digestibility and processing of lignocellulosic biomass in Zea mays. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1419796. [PMID: 39129761 PMCID: PMC11310149 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1419796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
Forage maize is a versatile crop extensively utilized for animal nutrition in agriculture and holds promise as a valuable resource for the production of fermentable sugars in the biorefinery sector. Within this context, the carbohydrate fraction of the lignocellulosic biomass undergoes deconstruction during ruminal digestion and the saccharification process. However, the cell wall's natural resistance towards enzymatic degradation poses a significant challenge during both processes. This so-called biomass recalcitrance is primarily attributed to the presence of lignin and ferulates in the cell walls. Consequently, maize varieties with a reduced lignin or ferulate content or an altered lignin composition can have important beneficial effects on cell wall digestibility. Considerable efforts in genetic improvement have been dedicated towards enhancing cell wall digestibility, benefiting agriculture, the biorefinery sector and the environment. In part I of this paper, we review conventional and advanced breeding methods used in the genetic improvement of maize germplasm. In part II, we zoom in on maize mutants with altered lignin for improved digestibility and biomass processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmine Vanhevel
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Astrid De Moor
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Hilde Muylle
- Plant Sciences Unit, Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research, Melle, Belgium
| | - Ruben Vanholme
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wout Boerjan
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
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2
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Ahmed R, Kaldis A, Voloudakis A. Silencing of a Nicotiana benthamiana ascorbate oxidase gene reveals its involvement in resistance against cucumber mosaic virus. PLANTA 2024; 259:38. [PMID: 38227024 PMCID: PMC10791908 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-023-04313-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
MAIN CONCLUSION Silencing of an ascorbate oxidase (AO) gene in N. benthamiana enhanced disease severity from cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), showing higher accumulation and expansion of the spreading area of CMV. A Nicotiana benthamiana ascorbate oxidase (NbAO) gene was found to be induced upon cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) infection. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) was employed to elucidate the function of AO in N. benthamiana. The tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-mediated VIGS resulted in an efficient silencing of the NbAO gene, i.e., 97.5% and 78.8% in relative quantification as compared to the control groups (TRV::eGFP- and the mock-inoculated plants), respectively. In addition, AO enzymatic activity decreased in the TRV::NtAO-silenced plants as compared to control. TRV::NtAO-mediated NbAO silencing induced a greater reduction in plant height by 15.2% upon CMV infection. CMV titer at 3 dpi was increased in the systemic leaves of NbAO-silenced plants (a 35-fold change difference as compared to the TRV::eGFP-treated group). Interestingly, CMV and TRV titers vary in different parts of systemically infected N. benthamiana leaves. In TRV::eGFP-treated plants, CMV accumulated only at the top half of the leaf, whereas the bottom half of the leaf was "occupied" by TRV. In contrast, in the NbAO-silenced plants, CMV accumulated in both the top and the bottom half of the leaf, suggesting that the silencing of the NbAO gene resulted in the expansion of the spreading area of CMV. Our data suggest that the AO gene might function as a resistant factor against CMV infection in N. benthamiana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reshma Ahmed
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855, Athens, Greece
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam, 785013, India
| | - Athanasios Kaldis
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855, Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas Voloudakis
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855, Athens, Greece.
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Martínez‐Pérez M, Aparicio F, Arribas‐Hernández L, Tankmar MD, Rennie S, von Bülow S, Lindorff‐Larsen K, Brodersen P, Pallas V. Plant YTHDF proteins are direct effectors of antiviral immunity against an N6-methyladenosine-containing RNA virus. EMBO J 2023; 42:e113378. [PMID: 37431920 PMCID: PMC10505913 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022113378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In virus-host interactions, nucleic acid-directed first lines of defense that allow viral clearance without compromising growth are of paramount importance. Plants use the RNA interference pathway as a basal antiviral immune system, but additional RNA-based mechanisms of defense also exist. The infectivity of a plant positive-strand RNA virus, alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), relies on the demethylation of viral RNA by the recruitment of the cellular N6-methyladenosine (m6 A) demethylase ALKBH9B, but how demethylation of viral RNA promotes AMV infection remains unknown. Here, we show that inactivation of the Arabidopsis cytoplasmic YT521-B homology domain (YTH)-containing m6 A-binding proteins ECT2, ECT3, and ECT5 is sufficient to restore AMV infectivity in partially resistant alkbh9b mutants. We further show that the antiviral function of ECT2 is distinct from its previously demonstrated function in the promotion of primordial cell proliferation: an ect2 mutant carrying a small deletion in its intrinsically disordered region is partially compromised for antiviral defense but not for developmental functions. These results indicate that the m6 A-YTHDF axis constitutes a novel branch of basal antiviral immunity in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mireya Martínez‐Pérez
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasUniversitat Politècnica de ValènciaValenciaSpain
| | - Frederic Aparicio
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasUniversitat Politècnica de ValènciaValenciaSpain
| | | | | | - Sarah Rennie
- Department of BiologyUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Sören von Bülow
- Department of BiologyUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | | | - Peter Brodersen
- Department of BiologyUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Vicente Pallas
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasUniversitat Politècnica de ValènciaValenciaSpain
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Voloudakis AE, Kaldis A, Patil BL. RNA-Based Vaccination of Plants for Control of Viruses. Annu Rev Virol 2022; 9:521-548. [PMID: 36173698 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-virology-091919-073708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Plant viruses cause nearly half of the emerging plant diseases worldwide, contributing to 10-15% of crop yield losses. Control of plant viral diseases is mainly accomplished by extensive chemical applications targeting the vectors (i.e., insects, nematodes, fungi) transmitting these viruses. However, these chemicals have a significant negative effect on human health and the environment. RNA interference is an endogenous, cellular, sequence-specific RNA degradation mechanism in eukaryotes induced by double-stranded RNA molecules that has been exploited as an antiviral strategy through transgenesis. Because genetically modified crop plants are not accepted for cultivation in several countries globally, there is an urgent demand for alternative strategies. This has boosted research on exogenous application of the RNA-based biopesticides that are shown to exhibit significant protective effect against viral infections. Such environment-friendly and efficacious antiviral agents for crop protection will contribute to global food security, without adverse effects on human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas E Voloudakis
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece;
| | - Athanasios Kaldis
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece;
| | - Basavaprabhu L Patil
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka State, India
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Jyothsna S, Alagu M. Role of phasiRNAs in plant-pathogen interactions: molecular perspectives and bioinformatics tools. PHYSIOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF PLANTS : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 28:947-961. [PMID: 35722509 PMCID: PMC9203634 DOI: 10.1007/s12298-022-01189-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The genome of an organism is regulated in concert with the organized action of various genetic regulators at different hierarchical levels. Small non-coding RNAs are one of these regulators, among which microRNAs (miRNAs), a distinguished sRNA group with decisive functions in the development, growth and stress-responsive activities of both plants as well as animals, are keenly explored over a good number of years. Recent studies in plants revealed that apart from the silencing activity exhibited by miRNAs on their targets, miRNAs of specific size and structural features can direct the phasing pattern of their target loci to form phased secondary small interfering RNAs (phasiRNAs). These trigger-miRNAs were identified to target both coding and long non-coding RNAs that act as potent phasiRNA precursors or PHAS loci. The phasiRNAs produced thereby exhibit a role in enhancing further downstream regulation either on their own precursors or on those transcripts that are distinct from their genetic source of origin. Hence, these tiny regulators can stimulate an elaborative cascade of interacting RNA networks via cis and trans-regulatory mechanisms. Our review focuses on the comprehensive understanding of phasiRNAs and their trigger miRNAs, by giving much emphasis on their role in the regulation of plant defense responses, together with a summary of the computational tools available for the prediction of the same.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Jyothsna
- Department of Genomic Science, Central University of Kerala, Periye, Kasaragod, Kerala 671316 India
| | - Manickavelu Alagu
- Department of Genomic Science, Central University of Kerala, Periye, Kasaragod, Kerala 671316 India
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Gogolev YV, Ahmar S, Akpinar BA, Budak H, Kiryushkin AS, Gorshkov VY, Hensel G, Demchenko KN, Kovalchuk I, Mora-Poblete F, Muslu T, Tsers ID, Yadav NS, Korzun V. OMICs, Epigenetics, and Genome Editing Techniques for Food and Nutritional Security. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:1423. [PMID: 34371624 PMCID: PMC8309286 DOI: 10.3390/plants10071423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The incredible success of crop breeding and agricultural innovation in the last century greatly contributed to the Green Revolution, which significantly increased yields and ensures food security, despite the population explosion. However, new challenges such as rapid climate change, deteriorating soil, and the accumulation of pollutants require much faster responses and more effective solutions that cannot be achieved through traditional breeding. Further prospects for increasing the efficiency of agriculture are undoubtedly associated with the inclusion in the breeding strategy of new knowledge obtained using high-throughput technologies and new tools in the future to ensure the design of new plant genomes and predict the desired phenotype. This article provides an overview of the current state of research in these areas, as well as the study of soil and plant microbiomes, and the prospective use of their potential in a new field of microbiome engineering. In terms of genomic and phenomic predictions, we also propose an integrated approach that combines high-density genotyping and high-throughput phenotyping techniques, which can improve the prediction accuracy of quantitative traits in crop species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri V. Gogolev
- Federal Research Center Kazan Scientific Center of Russian Academy of Sciences, Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 420111 Kazan, Russia;
- Federal Research Center Kazan Scientific Center of Russian Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Plant Infectious Diseases, 420111 Kazan, Russia;
| | - Sunny Ahmar
- Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Talca, 1 Poniente 1141, Talca 3460000, Chile; (S.A.); (F.M.-P.)
| | | | - Hikmet Budak
- Montana BioAg Inc., Missoula, MT 59802, USA; (B.A.A.); (H.B.)
| | - Alexey S. Kiryushkin
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Development, Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 197376 Saint Petersburg, Russia; (A.S.K.); (K.N.D.)
| | - Vladimir Y. Gorshkov
- Federal Research Center Kazan Scientific Center of Russian Academy of Sciences, Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 420111 Kazan, Russia;
- Federal Research Center Kazan Scientific Center of Russian Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Plant Infectious Diseases, 420111 Kazan, Russia;
| | - Goetz Hensel
- Centre for Plant Genome Engineering, Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Dusseldorf, Germany;
- Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Palacký University Olomouc, 78371 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Kirill N. Demchenko
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Development, Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 197376 Saint Petersburg, Russia; (A.S.K.); (K.N.D.)
| | - Igor Kovalchuk
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada; (I.K.); (N.S.Y.)
| | - Freddy Mora-Poblete
- Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Talca, 1 Poniente 1141, Talca 3460000, Chile; (S.A.); (F.M.-P.)
| | - Tugdem Muslu
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, 34956 Istanbul, Turkey;
| | - Ivan D. Tsers
- Federal Research Center Kazan Scientific Center of Russian Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Plant Infectious Diseases, 420111 Kazan, Russia;
| | - Narendra Singh Yadav
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada; (I.K.); (N.S.Y.)
| | - Viktor Korzun
- Federal Research Center Kazan Scientific Center of Russian Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Plant Infectious Diseases, 420111 Kazan, Russia;
- KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA, Grimsehlstr. 31, 37555 Einbeck, Germany
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8
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Saikia B, Singh S, Debbarma J, Velmurugan N, Dekaboruah H, Arunkumar KP, Chikkaputtaiah C. Multigene CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing of hybrid proline rich proteins (HyPRPs) for sustainable multi-stress tolerance in crops: the review of a promising approach. PHYSIOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF PLANTS : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2020; 26:857-869. [PMID: 32377037 PMCID: PMC7196567 DOI: 10.1007/s12298-020-00782-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The recent global climate change has directly impacted major biotic and abiotic stress factors affecting crop productivity worldwide. Therefore, the need of the hour is to develop sustainable multiple stress tolerant crops through modern biotechnological approaches to cope with climate change. Hybrid proline rich proteins (HyPRPs) are the cell-wall structural proteins, which contain an N-terminal repetitive proline-rich domain and a C-terminal conserved eight-cysteine motif domain. HyPRPs are known to regulate multiple abiotic and biotic stress responses in plants. Recently, a few HyPRPs have been characterized as negative regulators of abiotic and biotic stress responses in different plants. Disruption of such negative regulators for desirable positive phenotypic traits has been made possible through the advent of advanced genome engineering tools. In the past few years, CRISPR/Cas9 has emerged as a novel breakthrough technology for crop improvement by target specific editing of known negative regulatory host genes. Here, we have described the mechanism of action and the role of known HyPRPs in regulating different biotic and abiotic stress responses in major crop plants. We have also discussed the importance of the CRISPR/Cas9 based genome editing system in targeting known negative regulatory HyPRPs for multi-stress crop tolerance using the tomato crop model. Application of genome editing to manipulate the HyPRPs of major crop plants holds promise in developing newer stress management methods in this rapidly changing climate and would lead in the future to sustain crop productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Banashree Saikia
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, Assam 785006 India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-NEIST Campus, Jorhat, Assam 785006 India
| | - Sanjay Singh
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, Assam 785006 India
| | - Johni Debbarma
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, Assam 785006 India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-NEIST Campus, Jorhat, Assam 785006 India
| | - Natarajan Velmurugan
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-NEIST Campus, Jorhat, Assam 785006 India
- Biological Sciences Division, Branch Laboratory-Itanagar, CSIR-NEIST, Naharlagun, Arunachal Pradesh 791110 India
| | - Hariprasanna Dekaboruah
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, Assam 785006 India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-NEIST Campus, Jorhat, Assam 785006 India
| | - Kallare P. Arunkumar
- Central Muga Eri Research and Training Institute (CMER&TI), Lahdoigarh, Jorhat, Assam 785700 India
| | - Channakeshavaiah Chikkaputtaiah
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, Assam 785006 India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-NEIST Campus, Jorhat, Assam 785006 India
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Schiemann J, Dietz-Pfeilstetter A, Hartung F, Kohl C, Romeis J, Sprink T. Risk Assessment and Regulation of Plants Modified by Modern Biotechniques: Current Status and Future Challenges. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PLANT BIOLOGY 2019; 70:699-726. [PMID: 30822113 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-050718-100025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
This review describes the current status and future challenges of risk assessment and regulation of plants modified by modern biotechniques, namely genetic engineering and genome editing. It provides a general overview of the biosafety and regulation of genetically modified plants and details different regulatory frameworks with a focus on the European situation. The environmental risk and safety assessment of genetically modified plants is explained, and aspects of toxicological assessments are discussed, especially the controversial debate in Europe on the added scientific value of untargeted animal feeding studies. Because RNA interference (RNAi) is increasingly explored for commercial applications, the risk and safety assessment of RNAi-based genetically modified plants is also elucidated. The production, detection, and identification of genome-edited plants are described. Recent applications of modern biotechniques, namely synthetic biology and gene drives, are discussed, and a short outlook on the future follows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Schiemann
- Institute for Biosafety in Plant Biotechnology, Julius Kühn-Institut, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, 06484 Quedlinburg, Germany;
| | - Antje Dietz-Pfeilstetter
- Institute for Biosafety in Plant Biotechnology, Julius Kühn-Institut, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, 06484 Quedlinburg, Germany;
| | - Frank Hartung
- Institute for Biosafety in Plant Biotechnology, Julius Kühn-Institut, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, 06484 Quedlinburg, Germany;
| | - Christian Kohl
- Institute for Biosafety in Plant Biotechnology, Julius Kühn-Institut, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, 06484 Quedlinburg, Germany;
| | - Jörg Romeis
- Research Division Agroecology and Environment, Agroscope, 8046 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Thorben Sprink
- Institute for Biosafety in Plant Biotechnology, Julius Kühn-Institut, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, 06484 Quedlinburg, Germany;
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Piatek A, Mahfouz MM. Targeted genome regulation via synthetic programmable transcriptional regulators. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2016; 37:429-440. [DOI: 10.3109/07388551.2016.1165180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Koch A, Kogel KH. New wind in the sails: improving the agronomic value of crop plants through RNAi-mediated gene silencing. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2014; 12:821-31. [PMID: 25040343 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2014] [Revised: 05/06/2014] [Accepted: 05/27/2014] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) has emerged as a powerful genetic tool for scientific research over the past several years. It has been utilized not only in fundamental research for the assessment of gene function, but also in various fields of applied research, such as human and veterinary medicine and agriculture. In plants, RNAi strategies have the potential to allow manipulation of various aspects of food quality and nutritional content. In addition, the demonstration that agricultural pests, such as insects and nematodes, can be killed by exogenously supplied RNAi targeting their essential genes has raised the possibility that plant predation can be controlled by lethal RNAi signals generated in planta. Indeed, recent evidence argues that this strategy, called host-induced gene silencing (HIGS), is effective against sucking insects and nematodes; it also has been shown to compromise the growth and development of pathogenic fungi, as well as bacteria and viruses, on their plant hosts. Here, we review recent studies that reveal the enormous potential RNAi strategies hold not only for improving the nutritive value and safety of the food supply, but also for providing an environmentally friendly mechanism for plant protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Koch
- Centre for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Institute of Phytopathology and Applied Zoology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
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