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Updated: Jul 25, 2026

Virus-induced Gene Silencing (VIGS) in Nicotiana benthamiana and Tomato
Published on: June 10, 2009
Induction and suppression of RNA silencing by an animal virus
Hongwei Li1, Wan Xiang Li, Shou Wei Ding
1Department of Plant Pathology and Center for Plant Cell Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
Abstract:
RNA silencing is a sequence-specific RNA degradation mechanism that is operational in plants and animals. Here, we show that flock house virus (FHV) is both an initiator and a target of RNA silencing in Drosophila host cells and that FHV infection requires suppression of RNA silencing by an FHV-encoded protein, B2. These findings establish RNA silencing as an adaptive antiviral defense in animal cells. B2 also inhibits RNA silencing in transgenic plants, providing evidence for a conserved RNA silencing pathway in the plant and animal kingdoms.
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