Lin Shujin, Zhang Qian, Bai Shiyan, Yang Liwen, Qin Guannan, Wang Liyuan, Wang Wenbin, Cheng Cui, Zhang Da, Lu Chunhua, Yuan Jifeng, Li Jingying, Yang Huanghao, Gu Xiaofeng, Han Xiao
State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Fujian, China.
Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
Plant Biotechnol J. 2025 Apr;23(4):1165-1177. doi: 10.1111/pbi.14575. Epub 2025 Feb 7.
RNA interference (RNAi) has been widely used in agriculture. However, it is well accepted that common methods of plant RNAi are species-dependent and lack systematic efficiency. This study designed a thiolated siRNA nanoparticle, guanidinium (Gu)-containing disulfide assembled siRNA (Gu-siRNA), demonstrating remarkable species independence and efficient systemic gene silencing across different plant species. Our results indicate that this approach effectively utilizes the plant vascular system to deliver siRNA, enabling long-distance gene silencing across both monocot and dicot plants, such as rice and Arabidopsis. By applying this method, we successfully targeted and silenced key genes like STM, WER, MYB23, GD1, EIL1, and EIL2, which regulate plant development and enhance salt tolerance. This delivery system significantly expands the application of RNAi technology across different plants, serving as a valuable tool for advancing agricultural biotechnology, enhancing crop resistance, and improving agricultural productivity, while aligning with global goals for sustainable food production and crop improvement.
RNA干扰（RNAi）已在农业中广泛应用。然而，人们普遍认为植物RNAi的常用方法具有物种依赖性且缺乏系统效率。本研究设计了一种硫醇化的siRNA纳米颗粒，即含胍（Gu）的二硫键组装siRNA（Gu-siRNA），它在不同植物物种中表现出显著的物种独立性和高效的系统性基因沉默效果。我们的结果表明，这种方法有效地利用了植物维管系统来递送siRNA，能够在单子叶和双子叶植物（如水稻和拟南芥）中实现长距离基因沉默。通过应用这种方法，我们成功地靶向并沉默了调控植物发育和增强耐盐性的关键基因，如STM、WER、MYB23、GD1、EIL1和EIL2。这种递送系统显著扩展了RNAi技术在不同植物中的应用，是推进农业生物技术、增强作物抗性和提高农业生产力的宝贵工具，同时符合全球可持续粮食生产和作物改良的目标。
