The rise and rise of nicotiana benthamiana: A plant for all reasons

Julia Bally, Hyungtaek Jung, Cara Mortimer, Fatima Naim, Joshua G. Philips, Roger Hellens, Aureliano Bombarely, Michael M. Goodin, Peter M. Waterhouse

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

200 Scopus citations

Abstract

A decade ago, the value of Nicotiana benthamiana as a tool for plant molecular biologists was beginning to be appreciated. Scientists were using it to study plant-microbe and protein-protein interactions, and it was the species of choice with which to activate plasmid-encoded viruses, screen for gene functions with virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), and transiently express genes by leaf agroinfiltration. However, little information about the species' origin, diversity, genetics, and genomics was available, and biologists were asking the question of whether N. benthamiana is a second fiddle or virtuoso. In this review, we look at the increased knowledge about the species and its applications over the past decade. Although N. benthamiana may still be the sidekick to Arabidopsis, it shines ever more brightly with realized and yet-to-be-exploited potential.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)405-426
Number of pages22
JournalAnnual Review of Phytopathology
Volume56
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 25 2018

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2018 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • Nicotiana benthamiana
  • VIGS
  • agroinfiltration
  • biofactory
  • cellular localization
  • polyploid genome
  • virus-induced gene silencing

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Plant Science

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