Nobel method to transform plants through epigenetic modifications by the cucumber mosaic virus-based vector

通过转录抑制的基因沉默可以通过将双链RNA（dsRNA）靶向基因启动子来诱导。我们表明，可遗传的基因沉默可以诱导通过靶向dsRNA的内源基因启动子在矮牵牛和番茄植物，使用黄瓜花叶病毒（CMV）为基础的载体。这种基于CMV的基因沉默系统为人工修饰植物基因组中的DNA甲基化和阐明表观遗传控制机制提供了有用的工具。

Gene silencing through transcriptional repression can be induced by targeting double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to a gene promoter. We show that heritable gene silencing can be induced by targeting dsRNA to the endogenous gene promoters in petunia and tomato plants, using the Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV)-based vector. This CMV-based gene silencing system provides a useful tool to artificially modify DNA methylation in plant genomes and elucidate the mechanism for epigenetic controls.