A Prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV)-Based Viral Vector for Characterization of Gene Functions in Prunus Fruit...

Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a gene silencing mechanism by which an invading virus targets and silences the endogenous genes that have significant sequence similarity with the virus. It opens the door for us to develop viruses as powerful viral vectors and modify them for molecular characterization of gene functions in plants. In the past two decades, VIGS has been studied extensively in plants, and various VIGS vectors have been developed. Despite the fact that VIGS is in particular practical for functional genomic study of perennial woody vines and trees with a long life cycle and recalcitrant to genetic transformation, not many studies have been reported in this area. Here, we describe a protocol for the use of a Prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV)-based VIGS vector we have recently developed for functional genomic studies in Prunus fruit trees.