Engineering Broad-spectrum Resistance Against RNA Viruses in Potato
July 8, 2011| |
Several studies have used RNA silencing in inducing resistance against viruses in plants. Since double stranded RNA diced into small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) can activate RNA silencing, then it is possible to confer high level of virus resistance by specific targeting of similar viral RNA. M. Arif and colleagues at the National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Pakistan, constructed a chimeric expression vector with three partial gene sequences from ORF2 gene of Potato virus X, Helper Component Protease gene of Potato virus Y and Coat protein gene of Potato leaf roll virus.
Potato cultivars Desiree and Kuroda were transformed with chimeric gene cassette with the use of Agrobacterium tumefaciens and transformation was confirmed by PCR and ELISA detection. Accumulation of specific siRNAs manifested simultaneous RNA silencing. Expression of partial triple-gene sequence cassette implied that 20% of the transgenic plants are immune against all three viruses. Therefore, expression of a single transgene construct can effectively confer resistance to multiple viruses in transgenic potato plants.
Read the open-access research article at http://www.springerlink.com/content/q2732u68p6333722/.
| |
Biotech Updates is a weekly newsletter of ISAAA, a not-for-profit organization. It is distributed for free to over 22,000 subscribers worldwide to inform them about the key developments in biosciences, especially in biotechnology. Your support will help us in our mission to feed the world with knowledge. You can help by donating as little as $10.
-
See more articles:
-
News from Around the World
- Global Seed Market Valued at $37 B
- $170 Million Expanded Global Maize Research Program
- IFPRI Discusses Trade Effects of Strict Info Requirements for GM Commodities
- Kenya to Allow GM Maize Imports
- Scientist Reviews Adoption of Biotech Crops in Africa
- Gene Flow May Help Plants Adapt to Climate Change
- General Mills Grant Will Help Vanilla Farmers and Tropical Forests
- Beachy: GM Approval Process Must be Reviewed
- HT Soybean Highest Adopted Biotech Crop in the U.S.
- USDA Awards Grants to Mitigate Climate Change Effects
- BIO's Strategic Initiative to Speed Scientific Breakthroughs
- China Establishes National Lab for Super Grain
- CAS Scientist Reports Advances in Dev't of GM Herbicide Resistant Hybrid Rice in China
- New Crops for the Future Research Centre Planned in Malaysia
- First Biotech Park in Punjab
- China's MoA Updates "GMO Trainers"
- EU Parliament Paves Way for GMO Crop Bans
- EU Policy-making Should be on Scientific Evidence of GM Crops
- GM Maize MIR162 Approved for Food in Russia and the Customs Union
- French ‘Green Biotechnology' to Serve the Plants of Tomorrow
-
Research Highlights
- Scientists Identify Maize Proteins Causing Aflatoxin Production
- Genes from Chickweed Increase Resistance to Fungi
- Engineering Broad-spectrum Resistance Against RNA Viruses in Potato
-
Beyond Crop Biotech
- Termites' Digestive System Could Act as Biofuel Refinery
-
Announcements
- Coexistence Workshop in Washington DC
- Sustainable Use of Pesticides and Integrated Pest Management in East-Central Europe and the Baltics
- Sixth International Congress on Legume Genetics and Genomics 2012, Hyderabad
- Biosafety Brazilian Congress
- ABIC Conference in South Africa
-
Resources
- The Food Security Policy Context in Brazil
- GAIN-FAS Report on Biotechnology in Italy, 2011
- China's MoA Issues Q&A About GMOs
-
Read the latest: - Biotech Updates (April 24, 2024)
- Gene Editing Supplement (April 24, 2024)
- Gene Drive Supplement (February 22, 2023)
-
Subscribe to BU: - Share
- Tweet