Development of pathogen-resistant seedlings by direct introduction of double-stranded RNAs

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K22304
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 39:Agricultural and environmental biology and related fields
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Fukuhara Toshiyuki 東京農工大学, (連合)農学研究科(研究院), 教授 (90228924)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: トマト / RNA干渉 / ２本鎖RNA / トマト萎凋病菌 / 蛍光色素標識

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The objective of this study is to develop safe and secure vaccine seedlings resistant to soil-borne diseases by introducing dsRNAs directly into crop seedlings and inducing RNA interference against pathogens. We have established an experimental system to monitor the behavior of fluorescent (Cy3)-labeled dsRNA using a fluorescence microscope, and confirmed that dsRNA absorbed from the roots of young tomato seedlings is transferred throughout the body. For the purpose of producing vaccine seedlings against tomato wilt fungus (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, Fol) that grows in tomato xylem, we found that treatment with dsRNA of two genes involved in the growth and pathogenicity of Fol inhibited spore formation of Fol.

Free Research Field

植物細胞分子生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、トマトを研究対象として２本鎖RNAの有効性を検討するが、トマトで有効性が確認できれば、ナス、サツマイモ、メロンなど多くの食用植物に対して応用が可能である。また、トマト萎凋病菌は、バナナの新パナマ病の病原菌と同様、フザリウム菌(Fusarium oxysporum)により引き起こされる土壌病害である。今回の２本鎖RNA直接導入法の有効性が証明されれば新パナマ病の防除法としての応用・利用につながる。遺伝子組換えDNA技術に頼らない本研究提案は、研究成果が得られれば社会に受け入れられる可能性が高い革新的技術となることが期待される。