Host-induced gene silencing of cytochrome P450 lanosterol C14α-demethylase–encoding genes confers strong resistance to Fusarium species

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1306373110
• Publication Date: 2013-11-12T04:48:45Z
• Authors: Aline Koch; Neelendra Kumar; Lennart Weber; Harald Keller; Jafargholi Imani; Karl-Heinz Kogel
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; 2. Zero hunger; 570; HIGS; [SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio]; Arabidopsis; Hordeum; Plants, Genetically Modified; small interfering RNA; 630; Sterol 14-Demethylase; 03 medical and health sciences; Fusarium head blight; RNA interference; Fusarium; [SDE]Environmental Sciences; Gene Silencing; crop protection; Disease Resistance; Plant Diseases; RNA, Double-Stranded

Significance

We demonstrate that host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) targeting the fungal sterol 14α-demethylase ( CYP51 ) genes restricts Fusarium infection in plants. Fusarium diseases have a significant impact not only on global grain production, but also on food safety because of grain contamination with mycotoxins. We capitalized on the knowledge that demethylation inhibitor fungicides target cytochrome P450 lanosterol C-14α-demethylase. In Fusarium graminearum ( Fg ), this enzyme is encoded by three paralogous genes. Transgenic Arabidopsis and barley expressing a double-stranded RNA targeting all three CYP51 genes exhibited complete immunity to Fg . Our results provide proof-of-concept that HIGS of the CYP51 genes is an effective strategy for controlling Fusarium , demonstrating that HIGS is a powerful tool, which could revolutionize crop plant protection.