Host-induced gene silencing: a tool for understanding fungal host interaction and for developing novel disease control strategies.
Summary of "Host-induced gene silencing: a tool for understanding fungal host interaction and for developing novel disease control strategies."
Recent discoveries regarding small RNAs and the mechanisms of gene silencing are providing new opportunities to explore fungal pathogen-host interactions and potential strategies for novel disease control. Plant pathogenic fungi are a constant and major threat to global food security; they represent the largest group of disease-causing agents on crop plants on the planet. An initial understanding of RNA silencing mechanisms and small RNAs was derived from model fungi. Now, new knowledge with practical implications for RNA silencing is beginning to emerge from the study of plant-fungus interactions. Recent studies have shown that the expression of silencing constructs in plants designed on fungal genes can specifically silence their targets in invading pathogenic fungi, such as Fusarium verticillioides, Blumeria graminis and Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici. Here, we highlight the important general aspects of RNA silencing mechanisms and emphasize recent findings from plant pathogenic fungi. Strategies to employ RNA silencing to investigate the basis of fungal pathogenesis are discussed. Finally, we address important aspects for the development of fungal-derived resistance through the expression of silencing constructs in host plants as a powerful strategy to control fungal disease.
Affiliation
Department of Plant Pathology, Fungal Genomics Laboratory, Center for Integrated Fungal Research, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA.
Journal Details
This article was published in the following journal.
Name: Molecular plant pathology
ISSN: 1364-3703
Pages:
Links
- PubMed Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22111693
- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1364-3703.2011.00766.x
Medical and Biotech [MESH] Definitions
Graft Vs Host Reaction
An immunological attack mounted by a graft against the host because of tissue incompatibility when immunologically competent cells are transplanted to an immunologically incompetent host; the resulting clinical picture is that of GRAFT VS HOST DISEASE.
Gene Products, Vif
Retrovirally encoded accessary proteins that play an essential role VIRUS REPLICATION. They are found in the cytoplasm of host cells and associate with a variety of host cell proteins. Vif stands for "virion infectivity factor".
Rna Interference
A gene silencing phenomenon whereby specific dsRNAs (RNA, DOUBLE-STRANDED) trigger the degradation of homologous mRNA (RNA, MESSENGER). The specific dsRNAs are processed into SMALL INTERFERING RNA (siRNA) which serves as a guide for cleavage of the homologous mRNA in the RNA-INDUCED SILENCING COMPLEX. DNA METHYLATION may also be triggered during this process.
Cell-in-cell Formation
The mechanisms by which a cell becomes internalized in another. The host cell may engulf another as do PHAGOCYTIC CELLS, or the host cell may be invaded by another cell (ENTOSIS), or internalization processes may involve the cooperation of both the host cell and the cell being internalized. Viable cells may remain in non-phagocytic cells (EMPERIPOLESIS), undergo cell division, pass through and then out of the host cell (TRANSCELLULAR CELL MIGRATION), or trigger APOPTOSIS of the invaded cell.
Insect Vectors
Insects that transmit infective organisms from one host to another or from an inanimate reservoir to an animate host.
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