Scion on a stock producing siRNAs of potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) attenuates accumulation of the viroid

PLoS One. 2013;8(2):e57736. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057736. Epub 2013 Feb 28.

Abstract

Plants can attenuate the replication of plant viruses and viroids by RNA silencing induced by virus and viroid infection. In higher plants, silencing signals such as small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) produced by RNA silencing can be transported systemically through phloem, so it is anticipated that antiviral siRNA signals produced in a stock would have the potential to attenuate propagation of viruses or viroids in the scion. To test whether this is indeed the case, we prepared transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana) expressing a hairpin RNA (hpRNA) of Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) in companion cells by using a strong companion cell-specific promoter. A grafting experiment of the wild type tobacco scion on the top of the transgenic tobacco stock revealed that accumulation of PSTVd challenge-inoculated into the scion was apparently attenuated compared to the control grafted plants. These results indicate that genetically modified rootstock expressing viroid-specific siRNAs can attenuate viroid accumulation in a non-genetically modified scion grafted on the stock.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Gene Silencing
  • Inverted Repeat Sequences
  • Nicotiana / genetics
  • Nicotiana / virology
  • Plant Viruses / genetics
  • Plant Viruses / physiology*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • RNA, Small Interfering / biosynthesis*
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics*
  • RNA, Viral / biosynthesis*
  • RNA, Viral / genetics*
  • Transformation, Genetic
  • Transplants / virology*
  • Viroids / genetics
  • Viroids / physiology*

Substances

  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • RNA, Viral

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Adaptable and Seamless Technology Transfer Program through target-derived R&D of the Japan Science and Technology Agency, and by a Grant for Institutional Research at Hirosaki University. The funders of this works had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.