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Plant Developmental Biology - Biotechnological Perspectives pp 277–294Cite as

RNA Silencing in Plants

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Abstract

RNA silencing-related mechanisms have been documented in almost all living organisms and RNA silencing is now used as board term to describe the vast array of related processes involving RNA–RNA, RNA–DNA, RNA–protein or protein–protein interactions that ultimately result in the repression of gene expression. In plants, the parallel RNA silencing pathways have evolved to extraordinary levels of complexity and diversity, playing crucial roles in providing protection against invading nucleic acids derived from viruses or replicating transposons, controlling chromatin modifications as well as regulating endogenous gene expression to ensure normal plant growth and development. The aims of this chapter are (1) to provide an overview of the initial curious observations of RNA silencing-related phenomena in plants, (2) to outline the parallel gene silencing pathways of plants, and (3) to discuss current applications of RNA silencing technologies to not only study but also modify plant development.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CSIRO Plant Industry, 1600, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia

    A. Eamens, S. J. Curtin & P. M. Waterhouse

  2. School of Molecular and Microbial Biosciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia

    A. Eamens & P. M. Waterhouse

  3. School of Wine & Food Science, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, 2678, Australia

    S. J. Curtin

  4. University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, 55108–6026, USA

    S. J. Curtin

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  1. A. Eamens
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  2. S. J. Curtin
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Correspondence to A. Eamens .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. New Era College, Jalan Bukit, Kajang, 43000, Malaysia

    Eng Chong Pua

  2. Dept. Plant Sciences Division, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, United Kingdom

    Michael R. Davey

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Eamens, A., Curtin, S.J., Waterhouse, P.M. (2010). RNA Silencing in Plants. In: Pua, E., Davey, M. (eds) Plant Developmental Biology - Biotechnological Perspectives. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-04670-4_15

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