Document
Artificial microRNA-mediated resistance against Oman strain of tomato yellow leaf curl virus.
Identifier
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1164921
Source
Frontiers in Plant Science. v. 14, 1164921
Contributors
Ammara, Ume., Author
Khan, Jamal., Author
Al-Sadi, Abdullah M., Author
Shahid, Muhammad Shafiq., Author
Country
United Kingdom.
Publisher
Frontiers Media S.A.
Gregorian
2023-03-30
Language
English
English abstract
Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) is a global spreading begomovirus that is exerting a major restraint on global tomato production. In this transgenic approach, an RNA interference (RNAi)-based construct consisting of sequences of an artificial microRNA (amiRNA), a group of small RNA molecules necessary for plant cell development, signal transduction, and stimulus to biotic and abiotic disease was engineered targeting the AC1/Rep gene of the Oman strain of TYLCV-OM. The Rep-amiRNA constructs presented an effective approach in regulating the expression of the Rep gene against TYLCV as a silencing target to create transgenic Solanum lycopersicum L. plant tolerance against TYLCV infection. Molecular diagnosis by PCR followed by a Southern hybridization analysis were performed to confirm the effectiveness of agrobacterium-mediated transformation in T0/T1-transformed plants. A substantial decrease in virus replication was observed when T1 transgenic tomato plants were challenged with the TYLCV-OM infectious construct. Although natural resistance options against TYLCV infection are not accessible, the current study proposes that genetically transformed tomato plants expressing amiRNA could be a potential approach for engineering tolerance in plants against TYLCV infection and conceivably for the inhibition of viral diseases against different strains of whitefly-transmitted begomoviruses in Oman.
ISSN
1664-462X
Category
Journal articles