Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42786187›Full record

ArticleNature communications2026

A conserved small RNA-generating gene cluster undergoes sequence diversification and contributes to plant immunity.

Li Feng, Yingnan Hou, AmirAli Toghani, Zhixue Wang, Bozeng Tang, Nicola Atkinson, Hui Li, Yue Qiao, Yan Wang, Jian Hua and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Li FengThe Sainsbury Laboratory, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-3636-2962
Yingnan HouShanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds/School of Agriculture & Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. yingnanh@sjtu.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0002-6088-4632
AmirAli ToghaniThe Sainsbury Laboratory, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-0644-699X
Zhixue WangSchool of Integrative Plant Science Plant Biology Section, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6905-2544
Bozeng TangThe Sainsbury Laboratory, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
Nicola AtkinsonThe Sainsbury Laboratory, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
Hui LiThe Sainsbury Laboratory, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
Yue QiaoShanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds/School of Agriculture & Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Yan WangDepartment of Biological Science, University of Toronto, Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-5950-8904
Jian HuaSchool of Integrative Plant Science Plant Biology Section, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-3777-3344
Jixian ZhaiInstitute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.ORCID 0000-0002-0217-0666
Wenbo MaThe Sainsbury Laboratory, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK. wenbo.ma@tsl.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0001-5569-639X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Small RNA-mediated gene silencing contributes to plant immunity. The secondary small interfering RNA (siRNA) pathway promotes defense by silencing target genes in invading fungal and oomycete pathogens. Many secondary siRNAs are derived from transcripts potentially encoding pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins. Here, we report that siRNA production is an ancient function of a conserved clade of PPR genes that undergo extensive within-species diversification. In Arabidopsis thaliana, siRNA-source PPRs are physically clustered on Chromosome 1. These sequences are diversified through gene duplication followed by sequence diversification and accumulation of high-impact variations including pseudogenization, leading to the accumulation of a diverse siRNA pool. These features are consistent with the engagement of PPR-siRNAs in a co-evolutionary arms race with the pathogens. This study defines siRNA-producing PPRs as a class of defense genes and highlights the potential of PPR-siRNA-based engineering as a strategy to enhance disease resistance.

Indexed as

ArabidopsisMultigene FamilyPlant ImmunityRNA, Small InterferingArabidopsis ProteinsGene DuplicationGene SilencingPlant DiseasesArabidopsis ProteinsRNA, Small Interfering

Identifiers

PMID42786187
PMCPMC13612597

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.