Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA.
Genetics. 2010 Dec;186(4):1493-6. doi: 10.1534/genetics.110.123471. Epub 2010 Sep 27.
Maize Mucronate1 is a dominant floury mutant based on a misfolded 16-kDa γ-zein protein. To prove its function, we applied RNA interference (RNAi) as a dominant suppressor of the mutant seed phenotype. A γ-zein RNAi transgene was able to rescue the mutation and restore normal seed phenotype. RNA interference prevents gene expression. In most cases, this is used to study gene function by creating a new phenotype. Here, we use it for the opposite purpose. We use it to reverse the creation of a mutant phenotype by restoring the normal phenotype. In the case of the maize Mucronate1 (Mc1) phenotype, interaction of a misfolded protein with other proteins is believed to be the basis for the Mc1 phenotype. If no misfolded protein is present, we can reverse the mutant to the normal phenotype. One can envision using this approach to study complex traits and in gene therapy.
玉米芒状突变体 1 是一种基于错误折叠的 16kDa γ-zein 蛋白的显性粉质突变体。为了证明其功能，我们应用 RNA 干扰（RNAi）作为突变体种子表型的显性抑制剂。γ-zein RNAi 转基因能够挽救突变并恢复正常种子表型。RNA 干扰可阻止基因表达。在大多数情况下，这是通过创建新表型来研究基因功能的。在这里，我们出于相反的目的使用它。我们使用它通过恢复正常表型来逆转突变体表型的产生。在玉米芒状突变体 1（Mc1）表型的情况下，人们认为错误折叠的蛋白质与其他蛋白质的相互作用是 Mc1 表型的基础。如果不存在错误折叠的蛋白质，我们可以将突变体逆转成正常表型。人们可以设想使用这种方法来研究复杂的特征和基因治疗。
