title: RNA-mediated RNA degradation and chalcone synthase A silencing in petunia.
abstract: Transgenic Petunia plants with a chsA coding sequence under the control of a 35S promoter sometimes lose endogene and transgene chalcone synthase activity and purple flower pigment through posttranscriptional chsA RNA degradation. In these plants, shorter poly(A)+ and poly(A)- chsA RNAs are found, and a 3' end-specific RNA fragment from the endogene is more resistant to degradation. The termini of this RNA fragment are located in a region of complementarity between the chsA 3' coding region and its 3' untranslated region. Equivalent chsA RNA fragments remain in the white flower tissue of a nontransgenic Petunia variety. We present a model involving cycles of RNA-RNA pairing between complementary sequences followed by endonucleolytic RNA cleavages to describe how RNA degradation is likely to be promoted.
authors.affiliation: John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Colney, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Metzlaff
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Dell
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Cluster
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Flavell
mesh_terms: D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000235:genetics*; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D004722:Endoribonucleases / Q000378:metabolism; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000502:physiology; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000502:physiology; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010641:Phenotype; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000502:physiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000502:physiology; D019076:Transgenes / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018749:RNA, Plant; D000217:Acyltransferases; C020141:flavanone synthetase; D004722:Endoribonucleases