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Zhao X, Gao Q, Wang H, Yue J, An D, Li B, Yan F, Carmen SM, Zhao Y, Zhou H, Zhao M. syn-tasiRnas targeting the coat protein of potato virus Y confer antiviral resistance in Nicotiana benthamiana. PLANT SIGNALING & BEHAVIOR 2024; 19:2358270. [PMID: 38796845 PMCID: PMC11135832 DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2024.2358270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Trans-acting small interfering RNAs (tasiRNAs) are 21-nt phased (phased siRNAs) resulting from successive DCL-catalyzed processing from the end of a double-stranded RNA substrate originating from the RDR of an AGO-catalyzed cleaved RNA at a micro RNA target site. Plant tasiRNAs have been synthesized to produce synthetic tasiRNAs (syn-tasiRNAs) targeting viral RNAs that confer viral resistance. In this study, we engineered syn-tasiRNAs to target potato virus Y (PVY) infection by replacing five native siRNAs of TAS1c with 210-bp fragments from the coat protein (CP) region of the PVY genome. The results showed that the transient expression of syn-tasiR-CPpvy2 in Nicotiana benthamiana (N. benthamiana) plants conferred antiviral resistance, supported by the absence of PVY infection symptoms and viral accumulation. This indicated that syn-tasiR-CPpvy2 successfully targeted and silenced the PVY CP gene, effectively inhibiting viral infection. syn-tasiR-CPpvy1 displayed attenuated symptoms and decreased viral accumulation in these plants However, severe symptoms of PVY infection and a similar amount of viral accumulation as the control were observed in plants expressing syn-tasiR-CPpvy3. syn-tasiR-CPpvy/pvx, which targets both PVY and potato virus X (PVX), was engineered using a single precursor. After the transient expression of syn-tasiR-CPpvy/pvx3 and syn-tasiR-CPpvy/pvx5 in N. benthamiana, the plants were resistant to both PVY and PVX. These results suggested that engineered syn-tasiRNAs could not only specifically induce antiviral resistance against one target virus but could also be designed for multi-targeted silencing of different viruses, thereby preventing complex virus infection in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyue Zhao
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Qian Gao
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Haijuan Wang
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Jianying Yue
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Derong An
- College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Bin Li
- Department of Tabacco Production, Sichuan Province Company of Tobacco Corporation in China, Chengdu, China
| | - Fangfang Yan
- Panzhihua City company of Sichuan province company of Tobacco Corporation in China, Panzhihua city, Sichuan provience, China
| | | | - Yuanzheng Zhao
- Department of Plant Protection, Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Hohhot, China
| | - Hongyou Zhou
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Mingmin Zhao
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
- Department of Plant protection, Key Laboratory of the Development and Resource Utilization of Biological Pesticide in Inner Mongolia, Hohhot, China
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2
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Thomson G, Dickinson L, Jacob Y. Genomic consequences associated with Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of plants. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 117:342-363. [PMID: 37831618 PMCID: PMC10841553 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16496] [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: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Attenuated strains of the naturally occurring plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens can transfer virtually any DNA sequence of interest to model plants and crops. This has made Agrobacterium-mediated transformation (AMT) one of the most commonly used tools in agricultural biotechnology. Understanding AMT, and its functional consequences, is of fundamental importance given that it sits at the intersection of many fundamental fields of study, including plant-microbe interactions, DNA repair/genome stability, and epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Despite extensive research and use of AMT over the last 40 years, the extent of genomic disruption associated with integrating exogenous DNA into plant genomes using this method remains underappreciated. However, new technologies like long-read sequencing make this disruption more apparent, complementing previous findings from multiple research groups that have tackled this question in the past. In this review, we cover progress on the molecular mechanisms involved in Agrobacterium-mediated DNA integration into plant genomes. We also discuss localized mutations at the site of insertion and describe the structure of these DNA insertions, which can range from single copy insertions to large concatemers, consisting of complex DNA originating from different sources. Finally, we discuss the prevalence of large-scale genomic rearrangements associated with the integration of DNA during AMT with examples. Understanding the intended and unintended effects of AMT on genome stability is critical to all plant researchers who use this methodology to generate new genetic variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey Thomson
- Yale University, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences; New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA
| | - Lauren Dickinson
- Yale University, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences; New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA
| | - Yannick Jacob
- Yale University, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences; New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine; New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA
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3
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McLaughlin MS, Roy M, Abbasi PA, Carisse O, Yurgel SN, Ali S. Why Do We Need Alternative Methods for Fungal Disease Management in Plants? PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3822. [PMID: 38005718 PMCID: PMC10675458 DOI: 10.3390/plants12223822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Fungal pathogens pose a major threat to food production worldwide. Traditionally, chemical fungicides have been the primary means of controlling these pathogens, but many of these fungicides have recently come under increased scrutiny due to their negative effects on the health of humans, animals, and the environment. Furthermore, the use of chemical fungicides can result in the development of resistance in populations of phytopathogenic fungi. Therefore, new environmentally friendly alternatives that provide adequate levels of disease control are needed to replace chemical fungicides-if not completely, then at least partially. A number of alternatives to conventional chemical fungicides have been developed, including plant defence elicitors (PDEs); biological control agents (fungi, bacteria, and mycoviruses), either alone or as consortia; biochemical fungicides; natural products; RNA interference (RNAi) methods; and resistance breeding. This article reviews the conventional and alternative methods available to manage fungal pathogens, discusses their strengths and weaknesses, and identifies potential areas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S. McLaughlin
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Kentville Research and Development Centre, Kentville, NS B4N 1J5, Canada; (M.S.M.); (M.R.); (P.A.A.)
- Department of Plant, Food and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Truro, NS B2N 4H5, Canada
| | - Maria Roy
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Kentville Research and Development Centre, Kentville, NS B4N 1J5, Canada; (M.S.M.); (M.R.); (P.A.A.)
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Pervaiz A. Abbasi
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Kentville Research and Development Centre, Kentville, NS B4N 1J5, Canada; (M.S.M.); (M.R.); (P.A.A.)
| | - Odile Carisse
- Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Research Development Centre, Science and Technology Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC J3B 7B5, Canada;
| | - Svetlana N. Yurgel
- United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service, Grain Legume Genetics and Physiology Research Unit, Prosser, WA 99350, USA;
| | - Shawkat Ali
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Kentville Research and Development Centre, Kentville, NS B4N 1J5, Canada; (M.S.M.); (M.R.); (P.A.A.)
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4
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Cisneros AE, Martín-García T, Primc A, Kuziuta W, Sánchez-Vicente J, Aragonés V, Daròs JA, Carbonell A. Transgene-free, virus-based gene silencing in plants by artificial microRNAs derived from minimal precursors. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:10719-10736. [PMID: 37713607 PMCID: PMC10602918 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Artificial microRNAs (amiRNAs) are highly specific, 21-nucleotide (nt) small RNAs designed to silence target transcripts. In plants, their application as biotechnological tools for functional genomics or crop improvement is limited by the need of transgenically expressing long primary miRNA (pri-miRNA) precursors to produce the amiRNAs in vivo. Here, we analyzed the minimal structural and sequence requirements for producing effective amiRNAs from the widely used, 521-nt long AtMIR390a pri-miRNA from Arabidopsis thaliana. We functionally screened in Nicotiana benthamiana a large collection of constructs transiently expressing amiRNAs against endogenous genes and from artificially shortened MIR390-based precursors and concluded that highly effective and accurately processed amiRNAs can be produced from a chimeric precursor of only 89 nt. This minimal precursor was further validated in A. thaliana transgenic plants expressing amiRNAs against endogenous genes. Remarkably, minimal but not full-length precursors produce authentic amiRNAs and induce widespread gene silencing in N. benthamiana when expressed from an RNA virus, which can be applied into leaves by spraying infectious crude extracts. Our results reveal that the length of amiRNA precursors can be shortened without affecting silencing efficacy, and that viral vectors including minimal amiRNA precursors can be applied in a transgene-free manner to induce whole-plant gene silencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana E Cisneros
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), CSIC-Universitat Politècnica de València, Av. de los Naranjos s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Tamara Martín-García
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), CSIC-Universitat Politècnica de València, Av. de los Naranjos s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Anamarija Primc
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), CSIC-Universitat Politècnica de València, Av. de los Naranjos s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Wojtek Kuziuta
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), CSIC-Universitat Politècnica de València, Av. de los Naranjos s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Javier Sánchez-Vicente
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), CSIC-Universitat Politècnica de València, Av. de los Naranjos s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Verónica Aragonés
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), CSIC-Universitat Politècnica de València, Av. de los Naranjos s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - José-Antonio Daròs
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), CSIC-Universitat Politècnica de València, Av. de los Naranjos s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Alberto Carbonell
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), CSIC-Universitat Politècnica de València, Av. de los Naranjos s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
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Shahriari Z, Su X, Zheng K, Zhang Z. Advances and Prospects of Virus-Resistant Breeding in Tomatoes. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15448. [PMID: 37895127 PMCID: PMC10607384 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant viruses are the main pathogens which cause significant quality and yield losses in tomato crops. The important viruses that infect tomatoes worldwide belong to five genera: Begomovirus, Orthotospovirus, Tobamovirus, Potyvirus, and Crinivirus. Tomato resistance genes against viruses, including Ty gene resistance against begomoviruses, Sw gene resistance against orthotospoviruses, Tm gene resistance against tobamoviruses, and Pot 1 gene resistance against potyviruses, have been identified from wild germplasm and introduced into cultivated cultivars via hybrid breeding. However, these resistance genes mainly exhibit qualitative resistance mediated by single genes, which cannot protect against virus mutations, recombination, mixed-infection, or emerging viruses, thus posing a great challenge to tomato antiviral breeding. Based on the epidemic characteristics of tomato viruses, we propose that future studies on tomato virus resistance breeding should focus on rapidly, safely, and efficiently creating broad-spectrum germplasm materials resistant to multiple viruses. Accordingly, we summarized and analyzed the advantages and characteristics of the three tomato antiviral breeding strategies, including marker-assisted selection (MAS)-based hybrid breeding, RNA interference (RNAi)-based transgenic breeding, and CRISPR/Cas-based gene editing. Finally, we highlighted the challenges and provided suggestions for improving tomato antiviral breeding in the future using the three breeding strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zolfaghar Shahriari
- Biotechnology and Germplasm Resources Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yunnan Seed Laboratory, 2238# Beijing Rd, Panlong District, Kunming 650205, China; (Z.S.); (X.S.)
- Crop and Horticultural Science Research Department, Fars Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Shiraz 617-71555, Iran
| | - Xiaoxia Su
- Biotechnology and Germplasm Resources Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yunnan Seed Laboratory, 2238# Beijing Rd, Panlong District, Kunming 650205, China; (Z.S.); (X.S.)
| | - Kuanyu Zheng
- Biotechnology and Germplasm Resources Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yunnan Seed Laboratory, 2238# Beijing Rd, Panlong District, Kunming 650205, China; (Z.S.); (X.S.)
| | - Zhongkai Zhang
- Biotechnology and Germplasm Resources Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yunnan Seed Laboratory, 2238# Beijing Rd, Panlong District, Kunming 650205, China; (Z.S.); (X.S.)
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6
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Cisneros AE, Lisón P, Campos L, López-Tubau JM, Altabella T, Ferrer A, Daròs JA, Carbonell A. Down-regulation of tomato STEROL GLYCOSYLTRANSFERASE 1 perturbs plant development and facilitates viroid infection. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:1564-1578. [PMID: 36111947 PMCID: PMC10010610 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) is a plant pathogen naturally infecting economically important crops such as tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Here, we aimed to engineer tomato plants highly resistant to PSTVd and developed several S. lycopersicum lines expressing an artificial microRNA (amiRNA) against PSTVd (amiR-PSTVd). Infectivity assays revealed that amiR-PSTVd-expressing lines were not resistant but instead hypersusceptible to the viroid. A combination of phenotypic, molecular, and metabolic analyses of amiRNA-expressing lines non-inoculated with the viroid revealed that amiR-PSTVd was accidentally silencing the tomato STEROL GLYCOSYLTRANSFERASE 1 (SlSGT1) gene, which caused late developmental and reproductive defects such as leaf epinasty, dwarfism, or reduced fruit size. Importantly, two independent transgenic tomato lines each expressing a different amiRNA specifically designed to target SlSGT1 were also hypersusceptible to PSTVd, thus demonstrating that down-regulation of SlSGT1 was responsible for the viroid-hypersusceptibility phenotype. Our results highlight the role of sterol glycosyltransferases in proper plant development and indicate that the imbalance of sterol glycosylation levels favors viroid infection, most likely by facilitating viroid movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana E Cisneros
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas–Universitat Politècnica de València), 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Purificación Lisón
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas–Universitat Politècnica de València), 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Laura Campos
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas–Universitat Politècnica de València), 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Joan Manel López-Tubau
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CSIC-IRTA-IAB-UB), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Teresa Altabella
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CSIC-IRTA-IAB-UB), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Biology, Healthcare and the Environment, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Albert Ferrer
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CSIC-IRTA-IAB-UB), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - José-Antonio Daròs
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas–Universitat Politècnica de València), 46022 Valencia, Spain
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Bharathi JK, Anandan R, Benjamin LK, Muneer S, Prakash MAS. Recent trends and advances of RNA interference (RNAi) to improve agricultural crops and enhance their resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2023; 194:600-618. [PMID: 36529010 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2022.11.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Over the last two decades, significant advances have been made using genetic engineering technology to modify genes from various exotic origins and introduce them into plants to induce favorable traits. RNA interference (RNAi) was discovered earlier as a natural process for controlling the expression of genes across all higher species. It aims to enhance precision and accuracy in pest/pathogen resistance, quality improvement, and manipulating the architecture of plants. However, it existed as a widely used technique recently. RNAi technologies could well be used to down-regulate any genes' expression without disrupting the expression of other genes. The use of RNA interference to silence genes in various organisms has become the preferred method for studying gene functions. The establishment of new approaches and applications for enhancing desirable characters is essential in crops by gene suppression and the refinement of knowledge of endogenous RNAi mechanisms in plants. RNAi technology in recent years has become an important and choicest method for controlling insects, pests, pathogens, and abiotic stresses like drought, salinity, and temperature. Although there are certain drawbacks in efficiency of this technology such as gene candidate selection, stability of trigger molecule, choice of target species and crops. Nevertheless, from past decade several target genes has been identified in numerous crops for their improvement towards biotic and abiotic stresses. The current review is aimed to emphasize the research done on crops under biotic and abiotic stress using RNAi technology. The review also highlights the gene regulatory pathways/gene silencing, RNA interference, RNAi knockdown, RNAi induced biotic and abiotic resistance and advancements in the understanding of RNAi technology and the functionality of various components of the RNAi machinery in crops for their improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jothi Kanmani Bharathi
- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, 608 002, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Ramaswamy Anandan
- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, 608 002, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Lincy Kirubhadharsini Benjamin
- Horticulture and Molecular Physiology Lab, School of Agricultural Innovations and Advanced Learning, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Sowbiya Muneer
- Horticulture and Molecular Physiology Lab, School of Agricultural Innovations and Advanced Learning, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632014, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Muthu Arjuna Samy Prakash
- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, 608 002, Tamil Nadu, India.
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8
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Cisneros AE, de la Torre‐Montaña A, Carbonell A. Systemic silencing of an endogenous plant gene by two classes of mobile 21-nucleotide artificial small RNAs. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 110:1166-1181. [PMID: 35277899 PMCID: PMC9310713 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana E. Cisneros
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat Politècnica de València)46022ValenciaSpain
| | - Ainhoa de la Torre‐Montaña
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat Politècnica de València)46022ValenciaSpain
| | - Alberto Carbonell
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat Politècnica de València)46022ValenciaSpain
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9
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López-Dolz L, Spada M, Daròs JA, Carbonell A. Fine-Tuning Plant Gene Expression with Synthetic Trans-Acting Small Interfering RNAs. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2408:227-242. [PMID: 35325426 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1875-2_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
RNAi-based tools are widely used in gene function studies and for crop improvement. However, no effective methods for precisely controlling the degree of induced silencing have been reported until recently. Here we report a detailed protocol for designing and generating synthetic trans-acting small interfering RNA (syn-tasiRNA) constructs for fine-tuning gene expression in plants. Recently developed high-throughput AtTAS1c-D2-B/c-based vectors are used to clone and express syn-tasiRNAs that possess different efficacies depending on their precursor location and on their degree of base-pairing with the 5' end of target RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucio López-Dolz
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Politécnica de Valencia), Valencia, Spain
| | - Maria Spada
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Politécnica de Valencia), Valencia, Spain
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - José-Antonio Daròs
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Politécnica de Valencia), Valencia, Spain
| | - Alberto Carbonell
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Politécnica de Valencia), Valencia, Spain.
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10
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Reis RS, Poirier Y. Making sense of the natural antisense transcript puzzle. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 26:1104-1115. [PMID: 34303604 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2021.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In plants, thousands of genes are associated with antisense transcription, which often produces noncoding RNAs. Although widespread, sense-antisense pairs have been implicated in a limited variety of functions in plants and are often thought to form extensive dsRNA stretches triggering gene silencing. In this opinion, we show that evidence does not support gene silencing as a major role for antisense transcription. In fact, it is more likely that antisense transcripts play diverse functions in gene regulation. We propose a general framework for the initial functional dissection of antisense transcripts, suggesting testable hypotheses relying on an experiment-based decision tree. By moving beyond the gene silencing paradigm, we argue that a broad and diverse role for natural antisense transcription will emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Siqueira Reis
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Yves Poirier
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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11
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Sanan-Mishra N, Abdul Kader Jailani A, Mandal B, Mukherjee SK. Secondary siRNAs in Plants: Biosynthesis, Various Functions, and Applications in Virology. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:610283. [PMID: 33737942 PMCID: PMC7960677 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.610283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The major components of RNA silencing include both transitive and systemic small RNAs, which are technically called secondary sRNAs. Double-stranded RNAs trigger systemic silencing pathways to negatively regulate gene expression. The secondary siRNAs generated as a result of transitive silencing also play a substantial role in gene silencing especially in antiviral defense. In this review, we first describe the discovery and pathways of transitivity with emphasis on RNA-dependent RNA polymerases followed by description on the short range and systemic spread of silencing. We also provide an in-depth view on the various size classes of secondary siRNAs and their different roles in RNA silencing including their categorization based on their biogenesis. The other regulatory roles of secondary siRNAs in transgene silencing, virus-induced gene silencing, transitivity, and trans-species transfer have also been detailed. The possible implications and applications of systemic silencing and the different gene silencing tools developed are also described. The details on mobility and roles of secondary siRNAs derived from viral genome in plant defense against the respective viruses are presented. This entails the description of other compatible plant-virus interactions and the corresponding small RNAs that determine recovery from disease symptoms, exclusion of viruses from shoot meristems, and natural resistance. The last section presents an overview on the usefulness of RNA silencing for management of viral infections in crop plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeti Sanan-Mishra
- Plant RNAi Biology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - A. Abdul Kader Jailani
- Plant RNAi Biology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
- Advanced Center for Plant Virology, Division of Plant Pathology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Bikash Mandal
- Advanced Center for Plant Virology, Division of Plant Pathology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Sunil K. Mukherjee
- Advanced Center for Plant Virology, Division of Plant Pathology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India
- *Correspondence: Sunil K. Mukherjee,
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Cisneros AE, Carbonell A. Artificial Small RNA-Based Silencing Tools for Antiviral Resistance in Plants. PLANTS 2020; 9:plants9060669. [PMID: 32466363 PMCID: PMC7356032 DOI: 10.3390/plants9060669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Artificial small RNAs (art-sRNAs), such as artificial microRNAs (amiRNAs) and synthetic trans-acting small interfering RNAs (syn-tasiRNAs), are highly specific 21-nucleotide small RNAs designed to recognize and silence complementary target RNAs. Art-sRNAs are extensively used in gene function studies or for improving crops, particularly to protect plants against viruses. Typically, antiviral art-sRNAs are computationally designed to target one or multiple sites in viral RNAs with high specificity, and art-sRNA constructs are generated and introduced into plants that are subsequently challenged with the target virus(es). Numerous studies have reported the successful application of art-sRNAs to induce resistance against a large number of RNA and DNA viruses in model and crop species. However, the application of art-sRNAs as an antiviral tool has limitations, such as the difficulty to predict the efficacy of a particular art-sRNA or the emergence of virus variants with mutated target sites escaping to art-sRNA-mediated degradation. Here, we review the different classes, features, and uses of art-sRNA-based tools to induce antiviral resistance in plants. We also provide strategies for the rational design of antiviral art-sRNAs and discuss the latest advances in developing art-sRNA-based methodologies for enhanced resistance to plant viruses.
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