Efficient virus-induced gene silencing in Hibiscus hamabo Sieb. et Zucc. using Tobacco rattle virus

Abstract

Background. Hibiscus hamabo Sieb. et Zucc. is a semi-mangrove plant used for the ecological restoration of saline-alkali land, coastal afforestation and urban landscaping. Because the genetic transformation of H. hamabo is difficult, molecular breeding and gene functional studies have been severely restricted. In plants, virus-induced gene silencing provides a pathway to rapidly and effectively create targeted gene knockouts for gene functional studies. Methods. In this study, we tested the efficiency of a Tobacco rattle virus vector in silencing the cloroplastos alterados 1 (CLA1) gene through agroinfiltration. Results. The leaves of H. hamabo showed white streaks typical of CLA1 gene silencing three weeks after agroinfiltration. In agroinfiltrated H. hamabo plants, the CLA1 expression levels in leaves with white streaks were all significantly lower than in those of mock-infected and control plants. Conclusions. Thus, this virus-induced gene silencing system was efficient in H. hamabo and may be a powerful tool for large-scale reverse-genetic analyses of gene functions in H. hamabo.