Expression of alfalfa mosaic virus coat protein gene confers cross-protection in transgenic tobacco and tomato plants

Abstract

A chimeric gene encoding the alfalfa mosaic virus (AlMV) coat protein was constructed and introduced into tobacco and tomato plants using Ti plasmid-derived plant transformation vectors. The progeny of the self-fertilized transgenic plants were significantly delayed in symptom development and in some cases completely escaped infection after inoculated with AIMV. The inoculated leaves of the transgenic plants had significantly reduced numbers of lesions and accumulated substantially lower amounts of coat protein due to virus replication than the control plants. These results show that high level expression of the chineric viral coat protein gene confers protection against AIMV, which differs from other plant viruses in morphology, genome structure, gene expression strategy and early steps in viral replication. Based on our results with AIMV and those reported earlier for tobacco mosaic virus, it appears that genetically engineered crossprotection may be a general method for preventing viral disease in plants.

Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequencing of the coat protein gene of citrus tristeza virus

“…Transgenic plants expressing coat protein genes of virus pathogens show delayed disease development or are resistant to infection upon inoculation with the respective virus. This form of resistance has been shown for tobacco mosaic virus, alfalfa mosaic virus, tobacco rattle virus, cucumber mosaic virus, potato virus X and potyviruses (Powell Abel et al, 1986;Loesch-Fries et al, 1987;VanDun et al, 1987;VanDun & Bol, 1988;Tumer et al, 1987;Cuozzo et al, 1988 ;Hemenway et al, 1988;Hoekema et al, 1989;Stark & Beachy, 1989). The wide applicability of this method offers promise for coat protein-mediated protection of citrus plants.…”

Transgenic Nicotiana debneyii expressing viral coat protein are resistant to potato virus S infection

“…This form of coat proteinmediated protection has now been demonstrated for a number of different viruses including alfalfa mosaic virus (A1MV; Van Dun et al, 1987;Tumer et al, 1987;Loesch-Fries et al, 1987), cucumber mosaic virus (CMV; Cuozzo et al, 1988), tobacco rattle virus , tobacco streak virus and PVX (Hemenway et al, 1988;Hoekema et al, 1989). More recently, simultaneous resistance to two viruses, PVX and potato virus Y, has been reported in transgenic potato plants expressing the nucleocapsid proteins from each of these viruses (Lawson et al, 1990).…”

Nucleotide Sequences of the Coat Protein Genes and Flanking Regions of Cucumber Mosaic Virus Strains C and WL RNA 3

“…serology, peptide mapping, amino acid composition). Furthermore, the coat protein region is of interest because recent reports have shown that transgenic plants which express a viral coat protein (including CMV coat protein) are protected against infection by the corresponding intact virion (Powell-Abel et al, 1986;Tumer et al, 1987;Loesch-Fries et al, 1987;Nelson et al, 1987Nelson et al, , 1988Van Dun et al, 1987;Cuozzo et al, 1988;Hemenway et al, 1988).…”