Isolation and RNA silencing of homologues of the RNase L inhibitor in Nicotiana species

• Published in: Plant science (Limerick) 2004-12, Vol.167 (6), p.1283-1289
• Main Authors: Petersen, Birgit Otzen, Jørgensen, Bodil, Albrechtsen, Merete
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Arabidopsis thaliana; Autoecology; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Nicotiana; Nicotiana benthamiana; Nicotiana tabacum; Plants and fungi; Potato virus Y; RNase L inhibitor; Virus-induced gene silencing
• ISSN: 0168-9452; 1873-2259
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2004.06.030

Based on the sequences of mammalian RNase L inhibitors (RLI), homologues were identified in Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana plant species. RLI homologue (RLIh) cDNAs were cloned from Nicotiana benthamiana and Nicotiana tabacum and used to induce post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) in Nicotiana species. Downregulation of RLIh in N. benthamiana plants by virus-induced gene silencing had severe effects on plant morphology and plant growth but did not affect the susceptibility of the plant to infection by Potato virus Y (PVY). Upon transformation of N. benthamiana and N. tabacum with an inverted repeat of RLIh only one transformant, X#2.1, displayed an abnormal phenotype characterized by reduced growth and distorted leaves with white spots. Northern blotting revealed the presence of RLIh-specific small interfering RNAs in X#2.1 but not in 14 other transformants with a normal phenotype. Based on our observations we propose that RLIh has an essential role in plant growth and development.