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A single chimeric transgene derived from two distinct viruses confers multi-virus resistance in transgenic plants through homology-dependent gene silencing

Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University, NYSAES, Geneva, NY 14456, USA¹

Author for correspondence: Dennis Gonsalves. Fax +1 315 787 2389. e-mail dg12{at}cornell.edu

We showed previously that 218 and 110 bp N gene segments of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) that were fused to the non-target green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene were able to confer resistance to TSWV via post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS). N gene segments expressed alone did not confer resistance. Apparently, the GFP DNA induced PTGS that targetted N gene segments and the incoming homologous TSWV for degradation, resulting in a resistant phenotype. These observations suggested that multiple resistance could be obtained by replacing the GFP DNA with a viral DNA that induces PTGS. The full-length coat protein (CP) gene of turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) was linked to 218 or 110 bp N gene segments and transformed into Nicotiana benthamiana. A high proportion (4 of 18) of transgenic lines with the 218 bp N gene segment linked to the TuMV CP gene were resistant to both viruses, and resistance was transferred to R₂ plants. Nuclear run-on and Northern experiments confirmed that resistance was via PTGS. In contrast, only one of 14 transgenic lines with the TuMV CP linked to a 110 bp N gene segment yielded progeny with multiple resistance. Only a few R₁ plants were resistant and resistance was not observed in R₂ plants. These results clearly show the applicability of multiple virus resistance through the fusion of viral segments to DNAs that induce PTGS.