Characterization of ethylene signal transduction genes through RNAi gene silencing

Understanding the complexity of ethylene signal transduction and regulation in regards to fruit ripening is extremely important, particularly from the economic standpoint of genetic manipulations for produce improvement. With RNAi technology it is now possible to reduce the level of expression of a targeted gene through post-transcriptional gene silencing in plants. By using this technology to reduce expression of the genes in the ethylene signal transduction pathway, individual functions of these genes can be characterized.