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Q.
Silencing of mRNA has been used in producing transgenic plants resistant to
AIPMTAIPMT 2011Biotechnology and its Applications
Solution:
Several nematodes parasitise a wide variety of plants and animals including human beings. A nematode Meloidogyne incognita infects the roots of tobacco plants and causes a great reduction in yield. A novel strategy was adopted to prevent this infestation which was based on the process of RNA interference (RNAi). This method involves silencing of a specific wRNA due to a complementary dsRNA molecule that binds to and prevents translation of the wRNA (silencing). Using Agrobacterium vectors, nematode-specific genes were introduced into the host plant. The introduction of DNA was such that it produced both sense and anti-sense RNA in the host cells. These two RNA's being complementary to each other formed a double stranded (dsRNA) that initiated RNAi and thus, silenced the specific /wRNA of the nematode. The consequence was that the parasite could not survive in a transgenic host expressing specific interfering RNA. The transgenic plant therefore gets protected from the parasite.