Advances in RNA Interference Technology and Its Impact on Nutritional Improvement, Disease and Insect Control in Plants

Abstract

This review highlights the advances in the knowledge of RNA interference (RNAi) and discusses recent progress on the functionality of different components RNAi machinery operating in the organisms. The silencing of genes by RNA interference has become the technology of choice for investigation of gene functions in different organisms. The refinement in the knowledge of the endogenous RNAi pathways in plants along with the development of new strategies and applications for the improvement of nutritional value of important agricultural crops through suppression of genes in different plants have opened new vistas for nutritional security. The improvement in the nutritional status of the plants and reduction in the level of toxins or antinutrients was desired for long, but the available technology was not completely successful in achieving the tissue specific regulation of some genes. In the recent years, a number of economically important crop plants have been tested successfully for improving plant nutritional value through metabolic engineering using RNAi. The implications of this technology for crop improvement programs, including nutritional enrichment, reduction of antinutrients, disease, and insect control have been successfully tested in variety of crops with commercial considerations. The enhancement of the nutraceutical traits for the desired health benefits in common crop plants through manipulation of gene expression has been elaborated in this article. The tremendous potential with RNAi technology is expected to revolutionize the modern agriculture for meeting the growing challenges is discussed.

RNA Interference: A new Strategy in the Evolutionary Arms Race Between Human Control Strategies and Insect Pests

“…Therefore, the ability to digest dsRNA is a problem that must be solved to ensure the effective utilization of silencing to control pests on a large scale. Furthermore, evaluations should also test the effects of variation in intestinal pH among species (HAKIM et al 2010;KATOCH & THAKUR 2013). Nanoparticles could increase the half-life of dsRNA by protecting the molecules (ZHANG et al 2010;HE et al 2013).…”

Functional Genomics

“…Some years later, RNA silencing was described in other eukaryotes and was referred to as RNA interference (RNAi) (Katoch and Thakur 2013 ). Plants and insects have evolved to use RNAi as a protection against virus infection (Obbard et al 2009 ).…”

“…In plants that are incompatible with Agrobacterium infection, the direct introduction of RNAi vectors via particle bombardment and electroporation has also been used (Katoch and Thakur 2013 ). The use of RNAi technology to (i) improve plant traits offers a huge potential for agricultural development.…”

“…Adapted from Katoch and Thakur ( 2013 ) Adapted from Saurabh et al ( 2014 ) Fig . 10.1 CRISPR-Cas is a microbial adaptive defensive system that uses RNA-guided nucleases (Cas) to cleave foreign genetic elements.…”

Biotechnological uses of RNAi in plants: risk assessment considerations

“…It has been utilised in fundamental research for the assessment of gene functions, and in various fields of applied research, such as human and/or veterinary medicine, and agriculture. Given its potential to control gene expression, RNAi offers new opportunities for plant breeding (Box 1), and is being used to alter agronomic and compositional characteristics in GM plants (e.g., nutritional enrichment, antinutrient reduction, and disease or pest resistance) [4]. RNAi-based GM plants are approaching commercialisation and, similar to GM plants in most jurisdictions, will likely be subject to a risk analysis before regulatory approval.…”