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Cross‐talk between posttranscriptionally silenced neomycin phosphotransferase II transgenes
Author(s) -
Van Houdt Helena,
Kovařı́k Ales,
Van Montagu Marc,
Depicker Anna
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(00)01076-0
Subject(s) - transgene , locus (genetics) , biology , gene , gene silencing , genetics , microbiology and biotechnology
Tobacco plants containing a transgene locus with two chimeric neomycin phosphotransferase II ( nptII ) genes in tail‐to‐tail orientation (locus 1) show posttranscriptional gene silencing. The silenced nptII transgenes of locus 1 can downregulate the expression of homologous nptII transgenes in hybrid plants. The 3′ region of the silenced nptII genes located in the center of the inverted repeat locus 1 is extensively methylated. Moreover, 3′ segments of in trans ‐inactivated transgenes also become methylated, suggesting cross‐talk between homologous posttranscriptionally silenced genes. Our results are in accordance with the hypothesis that this cross‐talk can be mediated by specially featured RNAs.