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Systemic acquired silencing: transgene-specific post-transcriptional silencing is transmitted by grafting from silenced stocks to non-silenced scions

1997; Springer Nature; Volume: 16; Issue: 15 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1093/emboj/16.15.4738

1460-2075

J. C. Palauqui,

Transgenic Plants and Applications

Using grafting procedures, we investigated the transmission of co-suppression of nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase host genes and transgenes and of post-transcriptional silencing of a uidA transgene encoding glucuronidase in tobacco. We demonstrate that silencing is transmitted with 100% efficiency from silenced stocks to non-silenced scions expressing the corresponding transgene. Transmission is unidirectional from stock to scion, transgene specific, locus independent and requires the presence of a transcriptionally active transgene in the target scion. The transmission of co-suppression occurs when silenced stocks and non-silenced target scions are physically separated by up to 30 cm of stem of a non-target wild-type plant. Taken together, these results suggest that a non-metabolic, transgene-specific, diffusable messenger mediates the propagation of de novo post-transcriptional silencing through the plant.