Gene silencing as an adaptive defence against viruses

Authors
Waterhouse, PM Wang, MB Lough, T
Citation
Pm. Waterhouse et al., Gene silencing as an adaptive defence against viruses, NATURE, 411(6839), 2001, pp. 834-842
Citations number
90
Categorie Soggetti
Multidisciplinary,Multidisciplinary,Multidisciplinary
Journal title
NATURE
ISSN journal
00280836 → ACNP
Volume
411
Issue
6839
Year of publication
2001
Pages
834 - 842
Database
ISI
SICI code
0028-0836(20010614)411:6839<834:GSAAAD>2.0.ZU;2-4
Abstract
Gene silencing was perceived initially as an unpredictable and inconvenient side effect of introducing transgenes into plants. It now seems that it is the consequence of accidentally triggering the plant's adaptive defence me chanism against viruses and transposable elements. This recently discovered mechanism, although mechanistically different, has a number of parallels w ith the immune system of mammals.