Small RNA profiles from virus-infected fresh market vegetables.
Functional small RNAs, such as short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs), exist in freshly consumed fruits and vegetables. These siRNAs can be derived either from endogenous sequences or from viruses that infect them. Symptomatic tomatoes, watermelons, zucchini, and onions were purchased from grocery stores and investigated by small RNA sequencing. By aligning the obtained small RNA sequences to sequences of known viruses, four different viruses were identified as infecting these fruits and vegetables. Many of these virally derived small RNAs along with endogenous small RNAs were found to be highly complementary to human genes. However, the established history of safe consumption of these vegetables suggests that this sequence homology has little biological relevance. By extension, these results provide evidence for the safe use by humans and animals of genetically engineered crops using RNA-based suppression technologies, especially vegetable crops with virus resistance conferred by expression of siRNAs or miRNAs derived from viral sequences.
Calgene Campus, Monsanto Company, 1920 Fifth Street, Davis, California 95616, United States.
Alessandra
A
Frizzi
Yuanji
Y
Zhang
John
J
Kao
Charles
C
Hagen
Shihshieh
S
Huang
D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D014675:Vegetables / Q000191:economics / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology*; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification
D035683:MicroRNAs; D018749:RNA, Plant; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D012367:RNA, Viral
Ppotato virus Y (PVY); RNA silencing; RNAi; genetic engineering; iris yellow spot virus (IYSV); miRNA; siRNA; small RNA; tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV); vegetable; watermelon mosaic virus (WMV)