The rolB gene activates the expression of genes encoding microRNA processing machinery

The rolB gene of Agrobacterium rhizogenes renders cells more tolerant of environmental stresses and increases their defense potential. However, these effects, coupled with the developmental abnormalities caused by rolB, have not yet been explained. In rolB-transformed Arabidopsis thaliana cells, we detected a 2.2 to 7-fold increase in the expression of genes encoding core and accessory proteins (DCL1, SE, HYL1, AGO1, TGH, DDL, HEN1, AGO4 and RDR2) of the microRNA processing machinery. However, the rolB gene did not affect the expression of DCL2, DCL3 and HST. The diverse and complex effects of rolB on transformed plant cells may be attributable to changes caused by this gene in particular RNA silencing pathways.