title: Fast forward genetics based on virus-induced gene silencing.
abstract: Gene expression in plants can be suppressed in a sequence-specific manner by infection with virus vectors carrying fragments of host genes. Recent developments have revealed that the mechanism of this gene silencing is based on an RNA-mediated defence against viruses. It has also emerged that a related mechanism is involved in the post-transcriptional silencing that accounts for between line variation in transgene expression and cosuppresion of transgenes and endogenous genes. The technology of virus-induced gene silencing is being refined and adapted as a high throughput procedure for functional genomics in plants.
mesh_terms: D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D010942:Plant Viruses / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000821:virology