ISHS Acta Horticulturae 669: VIII International Symposium on Postharvest Physiology of Ornamental Plants
POTENTIAL APPLICATION OF VIRUS-INDUCED GENE SILENCING (VIGS) IN FLOWER SENESCENCE STUDIES |
| Authors: | J.-C. Chen, F. Johnson, D.G. Clark, T. Gookin, M.S. Reid |
| Keywords: | CHS (chalcone synthase), PDS (phytoene desaturase), PTGS (post-transcriptional gene silencing), VIGS (virus-induced gene silencing), TRV (tobacco rattle virus) |
| DOI: | 10.17660/ActaHortic.2005.669.18 |
| Abstract:
Virus-induced gene silencing has been suggested as a powerful and rapid technique for analysis of gene function in plant growth and development (Baulcombe, 1999). Infecting Nicotiana benthamiana with Tobacco Rattle Virus (TRV) containing a fragment of the gene encoding phytoene desaturase, an essential enzyme in carotene synthesis, results in a photo-bleached phenotype in photosynthetic tissues. TRV has several interesting properties that could be utilized in studies of the function of candidate genes in floral senescence; it infects floral tissues, has only mild symptoms, and has a broad host range. We tested the effect of TRV containing PDS fragments on a range of host plants. In most cases, infection resulted in no apparent phenotype or local inoculation effects. In petunia, after a lag of several weeks, the characteristic photo-bleaching of upper portions of the plant indicated movement and silencing of the virus and of PDS. In preliminary tests with a TRV/CHS construct, the typical effects of post-transcriptional gene silencing of CHS in petunia – symmetrical and asymmetrical white patches on the dark purple petals – indicated the ability to use the system in petunia studies. | |
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