RNA Interference (RNAi) Mechanism and Application in Plants for Enhancement of Natural Products

Plants are rich sources of therapeutic natural products widely used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food, and agriculture. Addressing the global demand for natural products has prompted the utilization of advanced technologies like transgenics and genome editing, with many limitations such as complexity, time-consuming, and ethical concerns. A potential alternative technology is RNA interference (RNAi), surpassing transgenic methods by eliminating the transgene proteins in edited plants. RNAi also positively influences plant traits such as architecture, flowering time, nutritional value, disease resistance, and stress tolerance. This versatile tool in functional genomics allows targeted knockdown without complete gene knockout, silencing multiple gene families. Utilizing small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules, RNAi enables efficient mobility through the plant’s vascular system, conferring desired traits to subsequent generations without genetic modification. The RNAi mechanism closely mimics natural gene silencing, which is present in eukaryotic organisms. RNAi provides flexibility for both single-target (siRNA) and multiple-target (miRNA) gene silencing, offering precision in genetic modulation. Beyond pest control, RNAi enhances nutritional and secondary metabolite content in food crops and medicinal plants. Additionally, it also contributes to the development of vibrant flowers and seedless fruits with prolonged shelf life. This abstract deals with the mechanisms and practical applications of RNAi in plants, underscoring its pivotal role in elevating natural product production. The effective incorporation of RNAi technology into plant biology not only meets global demand sustainably but also creates opportunities for customized genetic interventions, carrying profound implications in pharmaceutical industries and agriculture