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Background <p>Delivering siRNA into cells for targeted gene silencing provides an efficient way to analyze genes’ biological function. In some plants and seaweeds, especially those with important economic values, such as land plants apple and hydrangea, red seaweed <i>Pyropia yezoensis</i>, low transformation efficiency or low regeneration rates strongly limited our study in elucidating molecular mechanisms in the growth and development of these species.</p> Results <p>Here, we prepared a spikey silica nanoparticle (SSN) modified with an amino-group, nanoparticle SSN-NH₂, which efficiently delivered siRNA into conchospores and archeospores of <i>P. yezoensis</i> and successfully induced gene silencing. Furthermore, our findings indicate that this method is similarly effective in the protoplasts of various land plants, such as tobacco, apple, and hydrangea. Using this approach, we investigated the function of a KNOTTED-like homeobox gene (<i>PyKNOX</i>) in life cycle regulation. We found that <i>PyKNOX</i> is transcriptionally active in both conchosporangia and newly released conchospores. Transient silencing of <i>PyKNOX</i> delayed the entry of conchospores into meiosis, indicating its essential role in meiosis initiation, mediating the fundamental process of diploid-haploid transition in sexual reproduction of <i>P. yezoensis</i>.</p> Conclusions <p>This study presents the first universal siRNA transfection method applicable to both red seaweed <i>P. yezoensis</i> and land plants, offering a practical and efficient approach for gene function and gene editing studies. Furthermore, our findings highlight the evolutionary conservation of the regulatory mechanisms governing the diploid-haploid transition in sexually reproducing eukaryotes.</p>

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A universal spikey silica nanoparticle-mediated siRNA delivery for red seaweeds and land plants reveals PyKNOX ‘s role during haploid-diploid transition in Pyropia yezoensis

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月21日

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  • Qiran Sun,
  • Jinhao Dai,
  • Youwei Fan,
  • Longmei Zhai,
  • Qingjia Wang,
  • Zehao Zhang,
  • Weiqiang Zheng,
  • Fugeng Tang,
  • Xiaowei Guan,
  • Kang Zeng,
  • Zhongsheng Wang,
  • Hailin Wang,
  • Xiaoxuan Guo,
  • Meng Qiu,
  • Dongmei Wang

摘要

Background

Delivering siRNA into cells for targeted gene silencing provides an efficient way to analyze genes’ biological function. In some plants and seaweeds, especially those with important economic values, such as land plants apple and hydrangea, red seaweed Pyropia yezoensis, low transformation efficiency or low regeneration rates strongly limited our study in elucidating molecular mechanisms in the growth and development of these species.

Results

Here, we prepared a spikey silica nanoparticle (SSN) modified with an amino-group, nanoparticle SSN-NH₂, which efficiently delivered siRNA into conchospores and archeospores of P. yezoensis and successfully induced gene silencing. Furthermore, our findings indicate that this method is similarly effective in the protoplasts of various land plants, such as tobacco, apple, and hydrangea. Using this approach, we investigated the function of a KNOTTED-like homeobox gene (PyKNOX) in life cycle regulation. We found that PyKNOX is transcriptionally active in both conchosporangia and newly released conchospores. Transient silencing of PyKNOX delayed the entry of conchospores into meiosis, indicating its essential role in meiosis initiation, mediating the fundamental process of diploid-haploid transition in sexual reproduction of P. yezoensis.

Conclusions

This study presents the first universal siRNA transfection method applicable to both red seaweed P. yezoensis and land plants, offering a practical and efficient approach for gene function and gene editing studies. Furthermore, our findings highlight the evolutionary conservation of the regulatory mechanisms governing the diploid-haploid transition in sexually reproducing eukaryotes.