title: Simultaneous suppression of three genes related to brassinosteroid (BR) biosynthesis altered campesterol and BR contents, and led to a dwarf phenotype in Arabidopsis thaliana.
abstract: We generated transgenic lines of Arabidopsis thaliana with an RNA interference construct that expressed hairpin double-stranded RNA for DET2:DWF4:SMT2 to induce sequence-specific RNA silencing. In transgenic plants, expressions of DET2, DWF4, and SMT2 were simultaneously reduced, and the campesterol content was increased by up to 420% compared to the level in the wild-type plant. Triple knock-down of the DET2, DWF4, and SMT2 enzymes also resulted in reduction of brassinosteroid (BR)-specific biosynthesis intermediates. Transgenic plants harboring the RNA interference construct displayed a semi-dwarf phenotype due to altered development. Our findings indicate that redesigning of plant architecture is possible through simultaneous suppression of multiple genes involved in BR biosynthesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetic Engineering, Plant Metabolism Research Center, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 446-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Ho Yong
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Shozo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujioka
authors.forename: Sunghwa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Choe
authors.forename: Soyoun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Youn Hyung
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Nam In
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.forename: In Sik
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000235:genetics; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D017343:Genes, Plant; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D034622:RNA Interference; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000235:genetics; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013256:Steroids / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: C111451:AT3G50660 protein, Arabidopsis; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; C098907:DET2 protein, Arabidopsis; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D010840:Phytosterols; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D018749:RNA, Plant; D013256:Steroids; C021273:campesterol; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D002784:Cholesterol; D008780:Methyltransferases; C481389:sterol methyltransferase 2, Arabidopsis