Open AccessHost‐induced gene silencing inhibits the biotrophic pathogen causing downy mildew of lettuce
Author(s) -
Govindarajulu Manjula,
Epstein Lynn,
Wroblewski Tadeusz,
Michelmore Richard W.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
plant biotechnology journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.525
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1467-7652
pISSN - 1467-7644
DOI - 10.1111/pbi.12307
Subject(s) - biology , downy mildew , gene silencing , rna interference , gene , oomycete , rna silencing , pathogen , small interfering rna , host (biology) , genetically modified crops , genetics , transgene , rna , botany
Summary Host‐induced gene silencing ( HIGS ) is an RNA interference‐based approach in which small interfering RNA s (si RNA s) are produced in the host plant and subsequently move into the pathogen to silence pathogen genes. As a proof‐of‐concept, we generated stable transgenic lettuce plants expressing si RNA s targeting potentially vital genes of Bremia lactucae , a biotrophic oomycete that causes downy mildew, the most important disease of lettuce worldwide. Transgenic plants, expressing inverted repeats of fragments of either the Highly Abundant Message #34 ( HAM 34) or Cellulose Synthase ( CES 1 ) genes of B. lactucae , specifically suppressed expression of these genes, resulting in greatly reduced growth and inhibition of sporulation of B. lactucae . This demonstrates that HIGS can provide effective control of B. lactucae in lettuce; such control does not rely on ephemeral resistance conferred by major resistance genes and therefore offers new opportunities for durable control of diverse diseases in numerous crops.