Journal
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
Volume 47, Issue 17, Pages 9343-9357Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz678
Keywords
-
Categories
Funding
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft [CRC648, GR3526/2]
- OECD CRP
- Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg
- Landesforschungsprogramm Sachsen-Anhalt [ZS/2016/06/79740]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
In response to a viral infection, the plant's RNA silencing machinery processes viral RNAs into a huge number of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). However, a very few of these siRNAs actually interfere with viral replication. A reliable approach to identify these immunologically effective siRNAs (esiRNAs) and to define the characteristics underlying their activity has not been available so far. Here, we develop a novel screening approach that enables a rapid functional identification of antiviral esiRNAs. Tests on the efficacy of such identified esiRNAs of a model virus achieved a virtual full protection of plants against a massive subsequent infection in transient applications. We find that the functionality of esiRNAs depends crucially on two properties: thte binding affinity to Argonaute proteins and the ability to access the target RNA. The ability to rapidly identify functional esiRNAs could be of great benefit for all RNA silencing-based plant protection measures against viruses and other pathogens.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available