Stable Expression of Transgenes in Plants Influenced by Post-Transcriptional Regulatory Mechanisms

Strategic Insights -

Research from the Chinese Academy of Forestry has investigated the influence of endogenous miRNA-mediated silencing on heterologous gene expression in transgenic plants. The study, published in Frontiers in Plant Science, found that introducing a walnut-derived Growth-Regulating Factors 4 (JrGRF4b) into birch plants resulted in a 2.53% increase in transformation efficiency. The transgenic lines also exhibited enhanced callus diameter, adventitious bud height, root elongation, cellular expansion, and shoot primordia proliferation compared to control plants.

Key Takeaways:

  • The stable expression of transgenes in plants is critically influenced by post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms.
  • The introduction of JrGRF4b into birch plants resulted in a 2.53% increase in transformation efficiency.
  • The transgenic lines expressing rJrGRF4b exhibited significantly enhanced callus diameter, adventitious bud height, root elongation, cellular expansion, and shoot primordia proliferation.
  • The study demonstrated the importance of comprehensive evaluation of post-transcriptional epigenetic regulation between transgenes and endogenous miRNAs in recipient plants.
  • Targeted escape from miRNA-mediated suppression was shown to ensure stable and high-efficiency transgene expression.
  • The research was conducted by Baoxin Li, Mengting Pan, Dezheng Wu, Zhimin Zheng, and Dong Pei at the State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry.

Statistics:

  • 2.53% increase in transformation efficiency in transgenic lines expressing rJrGRF4b.
  • 722: The page number of the news report published in Science Letter on July 4, 2025.
  • 16: The volume number of the Frontier in Plant Science journal in which the study was published.
  • 10.3389/fpls.2025.1629166: The digital object identifier (DOI) for the study published in Frontier in Plant Science.

Sources:

  • Escaping endogenous miRNA post-transcriptional silencing of JrGRF4b enhanced transformation efficiency in woody plants. Frontiers in Plant Science, 2025,16.
  • Science Letter. July 4, 2025; p 722.
  • Frontiers in Plant Science (Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.). Journal: http://journal.frontiersin.org/journal/plant-science. Article: https://doi-org.sdpl.idm.oclc.org/10.3389/fpls.2025.1629166.