Resistance to a DNA and a RNA virus in transgenic plants by using a single chimeric transgene construct.
Tomato leaf curl Taiwan virus (ToLCTWV) and Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) are two major tomato viruses that cause serious economic losses. In this study, a partial C2 gene from ToLCTWV and the middle half of the N gene of TSWV were fused as a chimeric transgene to develop multiple virus resistance in transgenic plants. This construct was introduced into Nicotiana benthamiana and tomato by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Several transgenic lines showed no symptom post agro-inoculation with ToLCTWV and displayed high resistance to TSWV. The detection of siRNAs indicated that the resistance was via RNA silencing. This study demonstrated that linkage of gene segments from two viruses with distinct genomic organization, one DNA and the other RNA, can confer multiple virus resistance in transgenic plants via gene silencing.
Lin
Ching-Yi
CY
Department of Plant Pathology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 402, Taiwan.
Ku
Hsin-Mei
HM
Tsai
Wen-Shi
WS
Green
Sylvia K
SK
Jan
Fuh-Jyh
FJ
D004267:DNA Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D034622:RNA Interference; D012328:RNA Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D017865:Tospovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D019076:Transgenes; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins