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Updated: Sep 29, 2026

Virus-induced Gene Silencing (VIGS) in Nicotiana benthamiana and Tomato
Published on: June 10, 2009
Suppression of Virus Accumulation in Transgenic Plants Exhibiting Silencing of Nuclear Genes
J. J. English1, E. Mueller, D. C. Baulcombe
1The Sainsbury Laboratory, John Innes Centre, Colney Lane, Norwich, NR4 7UH, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
Homology-dependent gene silencing contributes to variation between transgenic plants with respect to transgene and/or endogenous gene expression levels. Recent studies have linked post-transcriptional gene silencing and virus resistance in plants expressing virus-derived transgenes. Using a potato virus X vector, we present three examples in which silencing of nonviral transgenes prevented virus accumulation. This effect was dependent on sequence homology between the virus and the silenced transgene. Analysis of potato virus X derivatives carrying bacterial [beta]-glucuronidase (GUS) sequences showed that the 3[prime] region of the GUS coding sequence was a target of the silencing mechanism in two independent tobacco lines. Methylation of the silenced GUS transgenes in these lines was also concentrated in the 3[prime] region of the GUS coding sequence. Based on this concurrence, we propose a link between the DNA-based transgene methylation and the RNA-based gene silencing process.
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