Genetic machinery for RNA silencing and defense against viruses in Citrus
RNA silencing mechanisms are conserved throughout eukaryotic evolution, possibly due to their importance in viral resistance and other aspects of cell biology. Here, we explored the Citrus EST (CitEST) database in search of sequences related to the most important known genes involved in RNA silencin...
Main Authors: | , , , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Sociedade Brasileira de Genética
2007-01-01
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Series: | Genetics and Molecular Biology |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1415-47572007000500027 |
Summary: | RNA silencing mechanisms are conserved throughout eukaryotic evolution, possibly due to their importance in viral resistance and other aspects of cell biology. Here, we explored the Citrus EST (CitEST) database in search of sequences related to the most important known genes involved in RNA silencing. Transcripts strongly matching Argonaute (AGO), Dicer-like (DCL), Hua enhancer (HEN), and RNA-dependent RNA Polymerase (RdRP) were found in many of the citrus libraries. The reads were clustered and quantified. This shows that post-transcriptional gene silencing apparatus is active in citrus. It seems plausible that a better understanding of the players of RNA silencing in Citrus spp. and related genera may help create new tools to defeat the viral diseases that affect the citrus industry. Functional analyses of these citrus genes would enable the pursuit of this hypothesis. |
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ISSN: | 1415-4757 1678-4685 |