Advances in plant gene silencing methods

Abstract

Understanding molecular mechanisms of transcriptional and posttranscriptional gene silencing pathways in plants over the past decades has led to development of tools and methods for silencing a target gene in various plant species. In this review chapter, both the recent understanding of molecular basis of gene silencing pathways and advances in various widely used gene silencing methods are compiled. We also discuss the salient features of the different methods like RNA interference (RNAi) and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) and highlight their advantages and disadvantages. Gene silencing technology is constantly progressing as reflected by rapidly emerging new methods. A succinct discussion on the recently developed methods like microRNA-mediated virus-induced gene silencing (MIR-VIGS) and microRNA-induced gene silencing (MIGS) is also provided. One major bottleneck in gene silencing approaches has been the associated off-target silencing. The other hurdle has been the lack of a universal approach that can be applied to all plants. For example, we face hurdles like incompatibility of VIGS vectors with the host and inability to use MIGS for plant species which are not easily transformable. However, the overwhelming research in this direction reflects the scope for overcoming the short comings of gene silencing technology.