Transgene
suppression in tomato leaves mediated by spraying with
siRNA/CPP complexes. (a) CLSM images of epidermal cells of transgenic
tomato leaves overexpressing GFP after spraying with siGFPS1/KH9-BP100 complexes at 3 days after spraying (DAS). Scale bars =
20 μm. (b) Distribution of GFP fluorescence intensities in leaves
sprayed with siRNA/CPP complexes at 3 DAS. Data points (magenta circles)
of GFP fluorescence analyzed from CLSM images by ImageJ are shown
in a box plot (n = 30 ROIs, 10 ROIs per leaf, three
independent experiments), and black bars represent the median values.
(c) Immunoblot analysis of GFP and RCA1 (endogenous plant protein
control) in tomato leaves sprayed with KH9-BP100 only (P), siGFPS1 only (S), and siGFPS1/KH9-BP100
complex formed at N/P ratio = 2.0 (C). The membrane was stained by
Ponceau S (Pon S) to confirm equal protein loading, as indicated by
the RbcL bands on the membrane. (d) Quantitative analysis of GFP accumulation
in transgenic tomato leaves sprayed with siRNA/CPP complex. Relative
GFP/RCA1 protein levels were analyzed from three experimentally independent
immunoblot membranes by ImageJ. Error bar = standard deviation (SD).
(e) Transcript suppression in leaves after spraying with siRNA/CPP
complex. GFP transcript levels in three independent
tomato leaves were analyzed by qRT-PCR at 3 DAS. Error bar = SD. Significant
differences among treatments in panels b, d, and e analyzed by one-way
ANOVA with Tukey’s HSD test at p = 0.05 are
indicated by different letters in the graphs.