Virus-induced gene silencing in soybean

Aardra Kachroo, Said Ghabrial

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

Understanding the biology of a system requires the association of gene functions to phenotypes and vice versa. Although a large number of resources and genomic tools are available for studies in the crop plant soybean, investigations related to gene function have been lacking. This is largely due to the fact that rapid functional genomics tools have been unavailable for application in soybean. This constraint was recently alleviated when a novel bean pod mottle virus (BPMV)-based system for virus-induced gene silencing in soybean was developed. This methodology exploits the plant's ability to silence virus-encoded sequences as a defense mechanism. Plants infected with recombinant viruses carrying sequences that are identical/near-identical to the plant's own genes suppress the expression of the target endogenous gene(s). Phenotypes associated with suppression of target sequence enable the assignment of functions to specific genes. The strategy involves inserting short sequences of target soybean genes into the viral genome to generate recombinant vectors. Soybean plants are then inoculated with the recombinant vectors, assessed for BPMV propagation and silencing of the target genes. Plants silenced for specific targets can then be analyzed for various different traits depending upon the known/predicted functions of the target genes. Using this strategy, we have identified genes participating in basal, resistance gene-mediated, and systemic immunity in soybean.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationAntiviral Resistance in Plants
Subtitle of host publicationMethods and Protocols
Pages287-297
Number of pages11
DOIs
StatePublished - 2012

Publication series

NameMethods in Molecular Biology
Volume894
ISSN (Print)1064-3745

Keywords

  • Bean pod-mottle virus
  • Defense signaling
  • Functional genomics
  • Soybean
  • Virus-induced gene silencing

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

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