Virus induced PhFTRv gene silencing results in yellow-green leaves and reduced cold tolerance in petunia

Abstract

Ferredoxin-thioredoxin reductase (FTR) is an iron-sulfur protein that supplies electrons from photochemically reduced ferredoxin (Fd) to thioredoxin (Trx) in the ferredoxin/thioredoxin system in chloroplasts. The FTR is a heterodimer with a variable subunit (FTRv) and a catalytic subunit (FTRc). The function of FTRv is not well known. In petunia (Petunia hybrida), FTRv is a single-copy gene, which is named PhFTRv. In this study, the spatio-temporal expression of PhFTRv in petunia was analyzed, and PhFTRv transcription was found to be high in leaves and stems. A tobacco rattle virus gene silencing was used in this study. Virus induced gene silencing-mediated PhFTRv silencing resulted in large yellow-green leaves, delayed flowering, and reduced cold tolerance in petunia plants.

Keywords

• flowering
• chloroplasts
• chlorophyll
• leaf development
• petunia hybrida
• photosynthesis
• temperature stress