Plant Biol (Stuttg) 2004; 6(1): 100-104
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-815729
Rapid Communication

Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Vectors for RNAi Technology in Poplar

S. Meyer 1 , K. Nowak 1 , V. K. Sharma 1 , J. Schulze 1 , R. R. Mendel 1 , R. Hänsch 1
  • 1Institut für Pflanzenbiologie, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
17 February 2004 (online)

Preview

Abstract

The potential of double-stranded RNA interference (RNAi) technology was studied for down-regulation of gene expression in poplar. A set of vectors was constructed generating RNAs capable of duplex formation of sequences specific for the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene system. These gene cassettes are driven by the CaMV-35S promoter. To address the question of gene silencing, we tested the functionality of these vectors, both in transient assays by transforming protoplasts with the RNAi constructs, and in stably transformed GUSexpressing poplar plants. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of those GUS-expressing plants with a GUS-specific RNAi construct showed a strong down-regulation of the reporter gene. From these results we conclude that RNAi is also functional in poplar.

References

R. R. Mendel

Institut für Pflanzenbiologie
Technische Universität Braunschweig

Humboldtstraße 1

38106 Braunschweig

Germany

Email: r.mendel@tu-bs.de

Section Editor: H. Rennenberg