Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Screening and Identification of RNA Silencing Suppressors from Secreted Effectors of Plant Pathogens
Published on: February 3, 2020
Screening and identification of virus-encoded RNA silencing suppressors
Sumona Karjee1, Mohammad Nurul Islam, Sunil K Mukherjee
1International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, PMB Lab, New Delhi, India.
Abstract:
RNA silencing, including RNA interference, is a novel method of gene regulation and one of the potent host-defense mechanisms against the viruses. In the course of evolution, the viruses have encoded proteins with the potential to suppress the host RNA silencing mechanism as a counterdefense strategy. The virus-encoded RNA silencing suppressors (RSSs) can serve as important biological tools to dissect the detailed RNA silencing pathways and also to evolve the antiviral strategies. Screening and identification of the RSSs are indeed of utmost significance in the field of plant biotechnology. We describe two Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) reporter-based plant assay systems that rely on two different principles, namely reversal of silencing and enhancement of rolling circle replication (RCR) of geminiviral replicon. These proof-of-concept examples and assay systems could be used to screen various plant, animal, and insect viral ORFs for identification of the RSS activities.
Related Concept Videos
siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs
In the cytoplasm, siRNA is processed from a double-stranded RNA, which comes from either endogenous DNA transcription or exogenous sources like a virus. This double-stranded RNA is then cleaved by the ATP-dependent...
Experimental RNAi
RNA Interference
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
Small interfering RNAs (siRNA)
In the cytoplasm, siRNA is processed from a double-stranded RNA, which comes from either endogenous DNA transcription or exogenous sources like a virus. This double-stranded RNA is then cleaved by the ATP-dependent...
MicroRNAs
MicroRNAs

