title: A Narcissus mosaic viral vector system for protein expression and flavonoid production.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  With the explosive numbers of sequences generated by next generation sequencing, the demand for high throughput screening to understand gene function has grown. Plant viral vectors have been widely used as tools in down-regulating plant gene expression. However, plant viral vectors can also express proteins in a very efficient manner and, therefore, can also serve as a valuable tool for characterizing proteins and their functions in metabolic pathways in planta.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, we have developed a Gateway®-based high throughput viral vector cloning system from Narcissus Mosaic Virus (NMV). Using the reporter genes of GFP and GUS, and the plant genes PAP1 (an R2R3 MYB which activates the anthocyanin pathway) and selenium-binding protein 1 (SeBP), we show that NMV vectors and the model plant Nicotiana benthamiana can be used for efficient protein expression, protein subcellular localization and secondary metabolite production.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that not only can the plant viral vector system be employed for protein work but also can potentially be amenable to producing valuable secondary metabolites on a large scale, as the system does not require plant regeneration from seed or calli, which are stages where certain secondary metabolites can interfere with development.
authors.affiliation: The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited (PFR), Private Bag 11600 Palmerston North, New Zealand. huaibi.zhang@plantandfood.co.nz.
authors.forename: Huaibi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Voogd
authors.forename: Nigel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Joyce
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Davies