Cross-talk between posttranscriptionally silenced neomycin phosphotransferase II transgenes.
Tobacco plants containing a transgene locus with two chimeric neomycin phosphotransferase II (nptII) genes in tail-to-tail orientation (locus 1) show posttranscriptional gene silencing. The silenced nptII transgenes of locus 1 can downregulate the expression of homologous nptII transgenes in hybrid plants. The 3' region of the silenced nptII genes located in the center of the inverted repeat locus 1 is extensively methylated. Moreover, 3' segments of in trans-inactivated transgenes also become methylated, suggesting cross-talk between homologous posttranscriptionally silenced genes. Our results are in accordance with the hypothesis that this cross-talk can be mediated by specially featured RNAs.
Van Houdt
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Departments of Molecular Genetics and Plant Genetics, Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, Universiteit Gent, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000, Gent, Belgium.
Kovarík
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A
Van Montagu
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M
Depicker
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A
D019175:DNA Methylation; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D019868:Kanamycin Kinase / Q000235:genetics*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D019076:Transgenes / Q000235:genetics*
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C036483:T-DNA; D019868:Kanamycin Kinase