Heterologous expression of viral RNA interference suppressors: RISC management.

This Update reviews how virus-encoded suppressors of RNA silencing are currently being used in certain areas of plant research and biotechnology. Keeping within the scope of this special Focus issue, an emphasis is placed on the use of gene vectors for expression of suppressors in plants. Toward the end of this review, a discussion is presented on how the choice of vector system may influence the functionality of suppressors and the occurrence of side effects. The purpose of this brief review is to illustrate, for a general audience of biologists, how individual properties of viral-encoded suppressors might affect their performance in plants when expressed by heterologous vectors.