Summary:

In the United States, the percent acreage of genetically engineered crops continues to rise. For production of transgenic crops, a large number of different plants must be generated and screened in order to produce an event with consistent and reliable expression of the introduced transgene. Variability in transgene expression/function can occur when the transgene is affected by the host either at the DNA, RNA or protein level. Modulation of the transgene through “RNA silencing” is arguably the main mechanism for instability in transgene expression.

Researchers at The Ohio State University found that specific genes from certain plant viruses can stabilize transgene expression. These viral proteins have previously been identified and are know as “silencing suppressors”. It was found that the form and arrangement of the suppressor, relative to the transgene, is critical for optimum stabilization. Problems with negative effects of these suppressors to native genes are avoided by generating transgene fusions.

Potential Applications:

• Crop Production
• Plant Genetics

Advantages:

Transgenic expressions are stabilized by generating transgene fusions.