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RNA silencing in plants

Nature volume 431, pages 356–363 (2004) Cite this article

Abstract

There are at least three RNA silencing pathways for silencing specific genes in plants. In these pathways, silencing signals can be amplified and transmitted between cells, and may even be self-regulated by feedback mechanisms. Diverse biological roles of these pathways have been established, including defence against viruses, regulation of gene expression and the condensation of chromatin into heterochromatin. We are now in a good position to investigate the full extent of this functional diversity in genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of genome control.

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Figure 1: Recovery in tobacco plants infected with tobacco ringspot virus.
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Figure 2: Validation of miRNA targets.
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Figure 3: The action of RDR proteins in the initiation or amplification of silencing.
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Figure 4: A silencing signal is affected by an RDR mutation.
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Figure 5: Feedback mechanisms in RNA silencing.
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Acknowledgements

I thank the Gatsby Charitable Foundation for supporting work in my laboratory.

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    David Baulcombe

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Baulcombe, D. RNA silencing in plants. Nature 431, 356–363 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature02874

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