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. 2021 May 18;11(6):274. doi: 10.1007/s13205-021-02810-y

Table 2.

RNA silencing: A tool for the management of oomycetes in various crops

Host Target pathogen Targeted gene(s) Comments References
Solanum tuberosum (Potato) Phytophthora infestans G-protein β-subunit encoding gene (Pigpb 1)

Silenced transformants failed to sporulate

Reduced disease symptoms and sporulation

Latijnhouwers and Govers (2003), Jahan et al. (2015)
Cdc 14 coding gene (PiCdc14) Transformants showed reduced sporulation Ah-Fong and Judelson (2003)
G-protein α-subunit gene (Pigpa 1) Transformants exhibited reduced zoospore production and infection on potato leaves Latijnhouwers et al. (2004)
GFP inf1and cdc14 GFP, inf1 and cdc14 expression levels were reduced after exposure to dsRNA Whisson et al. (2005)
bZIP transcription factor (Pibzp1) Silenced transformants showed abnormal zoospore movement, failed to develop appressoria and were incapable of infecting tomato leaflets Blanco and Judelson (2005)
Nuclear LIM interactor-interacting factors (NIFC1 and NIFC2) Zoospore cyst germination was impaired by 60% in silenced NIFC transformants. Silencing occurred at the transcription level Judelson and Tani (2007)
Inf1 Hairpin most efficient method of silencing Ah-Fong et al. (2008)
Putative glycosylated protein (Pihmp1) Silenced lines showed loss of pathogenicity Avrova et al. (2008)
Putative ATP-dependent DEAD-box RNA-helicase gene (Pi-RNH1) Pi-RNH1-silenced lines formed large aberrant zoospores that had multiple flagella and underwent partial cleavage Walker et al. (2008)
Four members of the CesA encoding for cellulose synthase genes

Silenced strains contained disrupted cell wall surrounding appressoria

Cellulose content of the silenced strains was > 50% lower than that of non-silenced strains

Grenville-Briggs et al. (2008)
Effector protein (PiAVR3a) A PiAVR3a-silenced line (CS12) was significantly reduced in pathogenicity on Solanum tubersonum cv Bintje (susceptible) and on Nicotinia benthamiana Bos et al. (2010)
Dicer-like (Pidcl1), Argonaute (Piago1/2) and Histone deacetylase (Pihda1)

Stable Ns (Non-sporulating, Picdc14-silenced) transformant protoplasts were treated with dsRNA homologous to Pidcl1, Piago1/2 and Pihda1

Regenerated lines of Pidcl1, Piago1/2 and Pihda1 showed an obvious sporulation

Vetukuri et al. (2011a, b)
Cutinase Significant resistance against the pathogen in the RNAi plants, as evident from reduced foliar disease symptoms Niblett and Bailey (2012)
Cellulose synthase A2 (PiCESA2) P. infestans encountered difficulty in establishing the infection process but the few spores that managed to penetrate the mesophyll cells continued to colonize the leaves, thus leading to. ‘incomplete’ inhibition Jahan et al. (2015)
Pectinesterase (PiPEC) P. infestans encountered difficulty in establishing the infection process but the few spores that managed to penetrate the mesophyll cells continued to colonize the leaves, thus leading to. ‘incomplete’ inhibition Jahan et al. (2015)
Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (PiGAPDH) P. infestans encountered difficulty in establishing the infection process but the few spores that managed to penetrate the mesophyll cells continued to colonize the leaves, thus leading to. ‘incomplete’ inhibition Jahan et al. (2015)
P. parasitica var. nicotianae A coding gene considered to be involved in cellulose-binding (CB), elicitor (E) of defence in plants and lectin (L)-like activities (CBEL) Silenced transformants showed reduced attachment to cellulosic surfaces and cell wall thickening Gaulin et al. (2002)
Glycine max (Soybean) P. sojae Heterotrimeric G-protein α subunit (PsGPA1)

Silenced PsGPA1 lines had abnormal zoospore chemotaxis, encystment and germination

Silenced transformants were unable to infect soybean

Hua et al. (2008)
C2H2 zinc finger transcription factor (PsCZF1)

Hyphal growth rate of silenced transformants was reduced about 50% and oospore production, zoospore and cyst germination were impaired

Silenced strains lost virulence in soybean

Wang et al. (2009)
MAP kinase encoding gene (PsSAK1)

Silenced transformants showed faster encystment, reduced germination rate and longer germtubes compared with wild type

Transformants were unable to colonize wounded and unwounded soybean leaves

Li et al. (2010)
Putative seven-transmembrane G-protein-coupled receptor (GPR11)

Zoospore release from sporangia was drastically impaired as well as zoospore encystment and germination

Silenced transformants lost pathogenicity to soybean

Wang et al. (2010)
PsYKT6, a conserved member gene of the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs)

Silencing of PsYKT6 revealed involment of this gene in asexual development, sexual reproduction and pathogenesis on soybean cultivars

Antisense constructs were stable in all three transformants

Zhao et al. (2011)
Crinkling-and necrosis-inducing proteins (CRN) (PsCRN63 and PsCRN115) Silenced transformants were unable to suppress host cell death Liu et al. (2011)
Cutinase Significant resistance against the pathogen in the RNAi plants, as evident from reduced foliar disease symptoms Niblett and Bailey (2012)
Nicotiana tabacum (Tobacco) Phytophthora nicotianae, Cutinase Significant resistance against the pathogen in the RNAi plants, as evident from reduced foliar disease symptoms Niblett and Bailey (2012)
Peronospora tabacina Cutinase Significant resistance against the pathogen in the RNAi plants, as evident from reduced foliar disease symptoms Niblett and Bailey (2012)
Arabidopsis thaliana Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis HpasRNAs Reduced disease level Dunker et al. (2020)