Patented applications of gene silencing in plants: manipulation of traits and phytopathogen resistance.

RNA silencing is the name of a broad family of phenomena including RNA interference (RNAi) in animals and basal eukaryotes, quelling in fungi and posttranscriptional gene silencing (PTGS) in plants. PTGS is a fertile research field and since its discovery many applications have been developed related to plant breeding. This minireview summarizes those patents which apply engineered gene silencing to specific problems. The range of inventions is divided in two main sections: manipulation of traits and resistance to phytopathogens and pests. Subtopics like manipulation of tolerances to abiotic stress, alteration of lignin, biofactories, alkaloids biosynthesis and flowering time fall within the first section, and introduction of resistances to insects, nematodes, bacteria, virus and fungi can be found within the second one.