Using Virus-induced Gene Silencing to Silence the NSm Gene of TSWV

PurposeTomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus (TSWV) has seriously endangered agricultural production around the world. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is mainly used for the functional research of endogenous genes on plant and the use of VIGS to silence exogenous virus genes for plant protection against virus is rarely reported. In this study, VIGS was used to silence the NSm gene of TSWV on pepper in order to lay a technical foundation for the prevention and control of TSWV disease in pepper planting.

MethodPeper (Capsicum annuum L.) was selected as the research material. The silencing vector pTRV2-PDS for pepper PDS gene was constructed to evaluate the effect of the silencing vector in pepper. The silencing vector pTRV2-NSm was constructed to silence NSm gene of TSWV and protect pepper from TSWV.

ResultThe pTRV2-PDS vector could effectively silence the PDS gene in pepper. The pTRV2-NSm vector can efficiently silence the NSm gene of TSWV on pepper. Inoculation of pTRV2-NSm made the expression of NSm in pepper only 4.6% of that in the control group, and provided resistance to TSWV.

ConclusionThis study showed that pTRV2-NSm vector could silence the NSm gene of TSWV on peppers, and give pepper resistance against TSWV.