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Updated: Jun 18, 2025

Transmitting Plant Viruses Using Whiteflies
Published on: November 8, 2013
Harnessing Viral Promoters for Targeted RNAi: Engineering Phloem-Specific Resistance Against Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl
Ho-Hsiung Chang1, Yuh Tzean2, Hsin-Hung Yeh3
1Department of Plant Pathology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Abstract:
Phloem-specific promoter efficiently triggers graft-transmissible RNA interference (gtRNAi). We leveraged a phloem-specific promoter derived from the Rice tungro bacilliform virus, optimizing the RNAi mechanism's efficiency and specificity. Here, we detail the construction of phloem-specific promoter-based gtRNAi system and its application through grafting experiments, demonstrating its effectiveness in inducing tomato yellow leaf curl Thailand virus (TYLCHTV) resistance in non-transgenic scions. This strategy presents a practical application for protecting crops against viruses without genetically modifying the entire plant.
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