Mohammad Akmal
Jamia Millia Islamia,India
Title: Gene silencing through microRNAs in Gossypium hirsutum L. against Cotton leaf curl virus
Biography
Biography: Mohammad Akmal
Abstract
Cotton leaf curl disease is a serious and complex disease of cotton causing enormous losses in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production. Cotton leaf curl virus has become highly virulent due to its genetic recombination that overcomes virus resistance in conventionally developed resistant varieties of cotton. One possible way to overcome this disease is RNA silencing. We have attempted to apply miRNA approach for silencing viral genes. In the present study, we have predicted potential targets of cotton miRNAs against Cotton leaf curl virus genome. Two miRNAs, targeting AC1, AC2, AC4 and beta C1 genes of Cotton leaf curl virus, were selected for their expression in G. hirsutum. The hypocotyl explants of G. hirsutum were used for the transformation with Agrobacterium containing miRNA gene constructs. Transformed G. hirsutum plants were checked by molecular analysis for the presence of miRNA and these plants were challenged with the virus through B. tabaci vector. All the transgenic plants remained healthy and none of them showed any symptoms even in latter stage of growth.