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Exploring plant genomes by RNA-induced gene silencing
Peter M Waterhouse1, Christopher A Helliwell
1CSIRO Plant Industry, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia. peter.waterhouse@csiro.au
Nature Reviews. Genetics
|January 2, 2003
Summary
RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful gene-silencing tool for understanding protein functions encoded in sequenced genomes. This approach shows promise for high-throughput, genome-wide investigation of plant gene functions.
Area of Science:
- Genomics
- Molecular Biology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Numerous animal, plant, and bacterial genomes have been sequenced.
- The functions of many predicted proteins remain unknown.
- RNA interference (RNAi) is an established gene-silencing technology for studying gene function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To discuss the potential of RNA-induced gene silencing for investigating plant gene function.
- To highlight the applicability of RNAi in a high-throughput, genome-wide manner for plants.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing RNA interference (RNAi) applications in model organisms.
- Discussion of the principles of RNA-induced gene silencing.
- Extrapolation of RNAi efficacy to plant systems.
Main Results:
- RNA interference (RNAi) has proven effective for gene function studies in organisms like Caenorhabditis elegans.
- The principles of RNA-induced gene silencing are applicable across different biological systems.
- The potential for high-throughput, genome-wide application of RNAi in plants is significant.
Conclusions:
- RNA-induced gene silencing is a viable and promising approach for functional genomics in plants.
- Genome-wide RNAi screens can accelerate the discovery of plant gene functions.
- This technology offers a powerful tool for understanding complex plant genomes.