Temperature modulates virus?induced transcriptional gene silencing via secondary small RNAs

Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) can be harnessed to sequence-specifically degrade host transcripts and induce heritable epigenetic modifications referred as virus-induced post-transcriptional (ViPTGS) transcriptional (ViTGS), respectively. Both ViPTGS ViTGS enable manipulation of endogenous expression without the need for transgenesis. Although VIGS has been widely used in many plant species, it is not always uniform or highly efficient. The efficiency affected by developmental, physiological environmental factors. Here, we use recombinant Tobacco rattle viruses (TRV) study effect temperature on using GFP a reporter N. benthamiana 16c plants. We found that unlike ViPTGS, was impaired at high temperature. Using novel mismatch-small interfering RNA (siRNA) tool, which precisely distinguishes virus-derived (primary) from target-generated (secondary) siRNAs, demonstrated lack secondary siRNA production/amplification responsible inefficient 29°C. Moreover, 29°C inhibited transmission subsequent generations. Our finding contributes understanding impact conditions primary production may pave way design/optimize transgene-free crop improvement.