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Targeted silencing of genes in polyploids: lessons learned from Brassica juncea-glucosinolate system

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Intron-spliced hairpin RNAi construct targeting the exonic region of BjuMYB28 driven by the native promoter is the best suited strategy for developing viable low glucosinolate lines in polyploid Brassica juncea.

Abstract

Targeted silencing of specific homolog(s) of a multigene family in polyploids through RNA interference (RNAi) is a challenging effort. Indian oilseed mustard (Brassica juncea), a natural allotetraploid, is expected to have 4–6 copies of every Arabidopsis gene ortholog. In the current study, we have attempted to establish the best gene silencing system suitable for BjuMYB28, a transcription factor gene, with the objective of developing low seed glucosinolate lines in B. juncea. After comparing multiple combinations of BjuMYB28 gene homologs, promoters, target regions (exon and 3′ UTR) and silencing strategies (RNAi and antisense), we suggest that the intron-spliced hairpin RNAi construct targeting the specific exonic region of the BjuMYB28 gene under the control of native promoter, whose peak activity synchronises with the highest glucosinolate accumulation phase of the plant, is the best suited strategy for developing viable low glucosinolate lines in polyploid B. juncea.

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Abbreviations

GSL:

Glucosinolate

RNAi:

RNA inerference

siRNA:

Small interfering RNA

UTR:

Untranslated region

DW:

Dry weight

CDS:

Coding sequences

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Acknowledgements

Research was supported by project grants (BT/PR10268/27/81/2007 and BT/PR2171/AGR/36/687/2011) from DBT (India) to NCB. RA was supported from JRF of CSIR (India) and Short Term Research Fellowship of NIPGR (New Delhi).

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Correspondence to Naveen C. Bisht.

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Communicated by Renate Schmidt.

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Augustine, R., Bisht, N.C. Targeted silencing of genes in polyploids: lessons learned from Brassica juncea-glucosinolate system. Plant Cell Rep 38, 51–57 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-018-2348-8

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