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Content archived on 2024-05-29

Molecular mechanisms of silencing suppression in plants

Objective

Smal RNAs and their role in posttranscriptional silencing is the latest fascinating paradigm in molecular biology. In response to virus infection, transposons and transgenes, an "adaptive immune-system" is induced based on recognition of double-stranded (ds)RNA, excessive quantities of RNA and yet undefined abnormal properties of RNA. dsRNA is recognized by ""Dicer"", an RNAseIII-like enzyme and "diced" into classes of "small interfering RNAs", 21 to 25 nucleotides in length. These original double-stranded fragments are unwound by a helicase and one of the single strands builds an ""RNA-induced silencing complex"" (RISC). RISC and related complexes have various functions. They interact with and cleave target RNAs.

They can interact with target RNAs and produce new dsRNA with the siRNA as a primer and RdRp as an enzyme. In the nucleus they can scan the chromatin for cognate DNA and modify it by RNA dependent DNA methylation. Silencing in plants is so successful, that plant viruses cannot infect a plant without a counter defence mechanism. Depending on the virus, silencing suppression can be a secondary function of almost any type of viral protein. But little is known about the silencing suppression mechanisms.

Of special interest might be the silencing mechanism interfering with Gemini-viruses and the suppression tactics of those viruses, since in that cases a nuclear phase in virus replication has to be considered. Gemini-viruses are economically important pathogenes. The host lab has found that in Gemini-viruses the transcriptional transactivator AC2 acts as a silencing suppressor and that this probably occurs through the activation of host genes. Wheat germ (WG) extracts are widely used to study translation regulation. WG extract contains silencing activities. We are planning to use WG and protoplasts extracts to study molecular aspects of silencing and its suppression, especially when induced and controlled by Gemini-viruses.

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Topic(s)

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Call for proposal

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FP6-2004-MOBILITY-7
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Funding Scheme

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EIF - Marie Curie actions-Intra-European Fellowships

Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF BASEL
EU contribution
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Total cost

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