A research team from the Huazong Agricultural University in China studied the expression of RNA interference (RNAi) sequences from a Fusarium graminearum virulence gene, chitin synthase (Chs) 3b, to enhance wheat resistance to fusarium head blight (FHB) and fusarium seedling blight (FSB).
Three RNAi constructs were found to silence Chs3b in transgenic F. graminearum strains. These were then expressed in two transgenic wheat lines. The transgenics exhibited high levels of resistance to FHB and FSB. The three RNAi present in the transgenic wheat efficiently down-regulated the Chs3b expression in the pathogen.
Results show that host-induced gene silencing of an essential fungal chitin synthase gene is an effective strategy for enhancing resistance in plants.
More information is available at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pbi.12352/abstract.
