Spray-induced gene silencing enables the characterization of gene function during pre-penetration stages in <i>Blumeria graminis</i> f. sp. <i>tritici</i>.

ABSTRACT: Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt), the causal agent of wheat powdery mildew, poses a significant threat to global wheat production. As an obligate biotroph, Bgt is recalcitrant to stable genetic manipulation. Although host-induced gene silencing has been used for gene function studies, it remains ineffective for targeting genes active during pre-penetration stages. Consequently, the functional roles of many Bgt genes during pre-penetration stages remain largely unexplored. In this study, the feasibility of spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS) to characterize gene function during pre-penetration stages was evaluated. The results demonstrated that Bgt conidia and germ tubes efficiently took up environmental double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), enabling t

SUBMITTER: Zhang M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12239746 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature