Pronounced variability of transgene expression and transgene silencing are commonly observed among independent plant lines transformed with the same construct. Transgenes can also cause the silencing of endogenous plant genes if they are sufficiently homologous, a phenomenon known as homologous co-suppression. Homologous co-suppression occurs transcriptionally and post-transcriptionally but predominantly post-transcriptionally. A major reason for transgene silencing and homologous co-suppression is that abe...