Total silencing by intron-spliced hairpin RNAs (original) (raw)

Gene expression

Nature volume 407, pages 319–320 (2000) Cite this article

Abstract

Post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS), a sequence-specific RNA degradation mechanism inherent in many life-forms, can be induced in plants by transforming them with either antisense1 or co-suppression2 constructs, but typically this results in only a small proportion of silenced individuals. Here we show that gene constructs encoding intron-spliced RNA with a hairpin structure can induce PTGS with almost 100% efficiency when directed against viruses or endogenous genes. These constructs could prove valuable in reverse genetics, genomics, engineering of metabolic pathways and protection against pathogens.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 52 print issues and online access

$199.00 per year

only $3.83 per issue

Buy this article

USD 39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

Figure 1: Efficiency of induction of post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) by different gene constructs and the predicted structure of RNA transcribed from the transgenes.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hamilton, A. J., Lycett, G. W. & Grierson, D. Nature 346, 284– 287 (1990).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  2. Jorgensen, R. A. Science 268, 689–691 ( 1995).
    Article ADS Google Scholar
  3. Waterhouse, P. M., Graham, M. W. & Wang, M.-B Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 95, 13959–13964 (1998).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  4. Waterhouse, P. M., Smith, N. A. & Wang, M.-B Trends Plant Sci. 4, 452– 457 (1999).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  5. Wang, M.-B, Upadhyaya, M. N., Brettel, R. I. S. & Waterhouse, P. M. J. Genet. Breed. 51, 325–334 (1997).
    CAS Google Scholar
  6. Okuley, J. et al. Plant Cell 6, 147–158 (1994).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  7. Cartea, M. E., Migdal, M., Galle, A. M., Pelletier, G. & Guerche, P. Plant Sci. 136, 181– 194 (1998).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  8. Rosche, E. & Westhoff, P. Plant Mol. Biol. 29 , 663–678 (1995).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  9. Gleave, A. P. Plant Mol. Biol. 20, 1203–1207 (1992).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  10. Stalberg, K., Ellerstrom, M., Josefsson, L. G. & Rask, L. Plant Mol. Biol. 23, 671–683 (1993).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  11. Fire, A. et al. Nature 391, 806–811 (1998).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  12. Sharp, P. A. Genes Dev. 13, 139–141 ( 1999).
    Article CAS Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CSIRO Plant Industry, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
    Neil A. Smith, Surinder P. Singh, Ming-Bo Wang, Peter A. Stoutjesdijk, Allan G. Green & Peter M. Waterhouse

Authors

  1. Neil A. Smith
  2. Surinder P. Singh
  3. Ming-Bo Wang
  4. Peter A. Stoutjesdijk
  5. Allan G. Green
  6. Peter M. Waterhouse

Corresponding author

Correspondence toPeter M. Waterhouse.

Additional information

brief communications is intended to provide a forum for short, topical reports of general scientific interest and for technical discussion of recently published material of particular interest to non-specialist readers. Priority will be given to contributions that have fewer than 500 words, 10 references and only one figure. Detailed guidelines are available on Nature's website (http://www.nature.com) or on request from nature@nature.com

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Smith, N., Singh, S., Wang, MB. et al. Total silencing by intron-spliced hairpin RNAs.Nature 407, 319–320 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/35030305

Download citation