Biotechnological uses of RNAi in plants: risk assessment considerations

• Published in: Trends in biotechnology (Regular ed.) Vol. 33; no. 3; pp. 145 - 147
• Main Authors: Casacuberta, Josep M, Devos, Yann, du Jardin, Patrick, Ramon, Matthew, Vaucheret, Hervé, Nogué, Fabien
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-03-2015; Elsevier Limited; Elsevier
• Subjects: Bioinformatics; Biologie végétale (sciences végétales, sylviculture, mycologie...); Biotechnologie; Biotechnology; Biotechnology - methods; Food/feed safety; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant - drug effects; Gene Silencing; Gene Targeting; Genes; Genetic engineering; genetically modified organism (GMO); Genomes; Genomics; Internal Medicine; Life Sciences; nontarget organism (NTO); Off-target gene; Organisms; Phytobiology (plant sciences, forestry, mycology...); Plant breeding; Plants (organisms); Plants, Genetically Modified - genetics; Proteins; Regulatory approval; Risk Assessment; RNA interference; RNA, Small Interfering - genetics; RNA, Small Interfering - metabolism; Sciences du vivant; Trends; gene silencing; genetically modified organism (GMO); food/feed safety; nontarget organism (NTO); plant breeding; off-target gene
• ISSN: 0167-7799; 1879-3096; 1879-3096
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2014.12.003

RNAi offers opportunities to generate new traits in genetically modified (GM) plants. Instead of expressing novel proteins, RNAi-based GM plants reduce target gene expression. Silencing of off-target genes may trigger unintended effects, and identifying these genes would facilitate risk assessment. However, using bioinformatics alone is not reliable, due to the lack of genomic data and insufficient knowledge of mechanisms governing mRNA–small (s)RNA interactions.