A research team from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) has published their latest findings in the Plant Biotechnology Journal, developing a new gene silencing technology called virus-mediated short RNA insertion (vsRNAi). This breakthrough technology utilizes transgenic viruses to carry ultra-short RNA sequences, providing a new tool for crop trait improvement and functional genomics research.

The technology was jointly developed by CSIC, the COMAV Institute at the University of Valencia, and the Cineca Research Center in Italy. Project leader Fabio Pasin stated: "We have adopted synthetic biology approaches to develop a technology platform compatible with future industrial-scale production." Compared to traditional methods, vsRNAi shortens RNA sequence lengths from approximately 300 nucleotides to 24, significantly improving the efficiency and precision of gene silencing.

In experiments, the researchers targeted the CHLI gene in Nicotiana benthamiana (tobacco), successfully inducing phenotypic changes such as leaf yellowing and reduced chlorophyll levels. Pasin noted: "Sequencing results show that this method produces small RNAs of 21-22 nucleotides, effectively regulating gene expression." The technology subsequently demonstrated good application effects in Solanaceae crops such as tomato and scarlet eggplant.

This innovative technology offers advantages such as simple operation, low cost, and no alteration of the plant genome. The research team believes that vsRNAi will not only advance basic research but also bring transformative impacts to agricultural production, including increasing crop yields, enhancing disease resistance, and improving nutritional components.