RNA-mediated virus resistance in transgenic plants

Untranslatable tospoviral NSs fragment coupled with L conserved region enhances transgenic resistance against the homologous virus and a serologically unrelated tospovirus

Tospoviruses cause severe damages to important crops worldwide. In this study, Nicotiana benthamiana transgenic lines carrying individual untranslatable constructs comprised of the conserved region of the L gene (denoted as L), the 5' half of NSs coding sequence (NSs) or the antisense fragment of whole N coding sequence (N) of Watermelon silver mottle virus (WSMoV), individually or in combination, were generated. A total of 15-17 transgenic N. benthamiana lines carrying individual transgenes were evaluated against WSMoV and the serologically unrelated Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). Among lines carrying single or chimeric transgenes, the level of resistance ranged from susceptible to completely resistant against WSMoV. From the lines carrying individual transgenes and highly resistant to WSMoV (56-63% of lines assayed), 30% of the L lines (3/10 lines assayed) and 11% of NSs lines (1/9 lines assayed) were highly resistant against TSWV. The chimeric transgenes provided higher degrees of resistance against WSMoV (80-88%), and the NSs fragment showed an additive effect to enhance the resistance to TSWV. Particularly, the chimeric transgenes with the triple combination of fragments, namely L/NSs/N or HpL/NSs/N (a hairpin construct), provided a higher degree of resistance (both 50%, with 7/14 lines assayed) against TSWV. Our results indicate that the untranslatable NSs fragment is able to enhance the transgenic resistance conferred by the L conserved region. The better performance of L/NSs/N and HpL/NSs/N in transgenic N. benthamiana lines suggests their potential usefulness in generating high levels of enhanced transgenic resistance against serologically unrelated tospoviruses in agronomic crops.

Genetic analyses of the FRNK motif function of Turnip mosaic virus uncover multiple and potentially interactive pathways of cross-protection

Cross-protection triggered by a mild strain of virus acts as a prophylaxis to prevent subsequent infections by related viruses in plants; however, the underling mechanisms are not fully understood. Through mutagenesis, we isolated a mutant strain of Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV), named Tu-GK, that contains an Arg182Lys substitution in helper component-proteinase (HC-Pro(K)) that confers complete cross-protection against infection by a severe strain of TuMV in Nicotiana benthamiana, Arabidopsis thaliana Col-0, and the Arabidopsis dcl2-4/dcl4-1 double mutant defective in DICER-like ribonuclease (DCL)2/DCL4-mediated silencing. Our analyses showed that HC-Pro(K) loses the ability to interfere with microRNA pathways, although it retains a partial capability for RNA silencing suppression triggered by DCL. We further showed that Tu-GK infection triggers strong salicylic acid (SA)-dependent and SA-independent innate immunity responses. Our data suggest that DCL2/4-dependent and -independent RNA silencing pathways are involved, and may crosstalk with basal innate immunity pathways, in host defense and in cross-protection.

Broad-spectrum transgenic resistance against distinct tospovirus species at the genus level

Thrips-borne tospoviruses cause severe damage to crops worldwide. In this investigation, tobacco lines transgenic for individual WLm constructs containing the conserved motifs of the L RNA-encoded RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (L) gene of Watermelon silver mottle virus (WSMoV) were generated by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The WLm constructs included: (i) translatable WLm in a sense orientation; (ii) untranslatable WLmt with two stop codons; (iii) untranslatable WLmts with stop codons and a frame-shift; (iv) untranslatable antisense WLmA; and (v) WLmhp with an untranslatable inverted repeat of WLm containing the tospoviral S RNA 3'-terminal consensus sequence (5'-ATTGCTCT-3') and an NcoI site as a linker to generate a double-stranded hairpin transcript. A total of 46.7-70.0% transgenic tobacco lines derived from individual constructs showed resistance to the homologous WSMoV; 35.7-100% plants of these different WSMoV-resistant lines exhibited broad-spectrum resistance against four other serologically unrelated tospoviruses Tomato spotted wilt virus, Groundnut yellow spot virus, Impatiens necrotic spot virus and Groundnut chlorotic fan-spot virus. The selected transgenic tobacco lines also exhibited broad-spectrum resistance against five additional tospoviruses from WSMoV and Iris yellow spot virus clades, but not against RNA viruses from other genera. Northern analyses indicated that the broad-spectrum resistance is mediated by RNA silencing. To validate the L conserved region resistance in vegetable crops, the constructs were also used to generate transgenic tomato lines, which also showed effective resistance against WSMoV and other tospoviruses. Thus, our approach of using the conserved motifs of tospoviral L gene as a transgene generates broad-spectrum resistance against tospoviruses at the genus level.

RNA silencing as a tool to uncover gene function and engineer novel traits in soybean

RNA silencing refers collectively to diverse RNA-mediated pathways of nucleotide-sequence-specific inhibition of gene expression. It has been used to analyze gene function and engineer novel traits in various organisms. Here, we review the application of RNA silencing in soybean. To produce soybean lines, in which a particular gene is stably silenced, researchers have frequently used a transgene that transcribes inverted repeats of a target gene segment. Suppression of gene expression in developing soybean embryos has been one of the main focuses of metabolic engineering using transgene-induced silencing. Plants that have enhanced resistance against diseases caused by viruses or cyst nematode have also been produced. Meanwhile, Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation has been used to induce RNA silencing in roots, which enabled analysis of the roles of gene products in nodulation or disease resistance. RNA silencing has also been induced using viral vectors, which is particularly useful for gene function analysis. So far, three viral vectors for virus-induced gene silencing have been developed for soybean. One of the features of the soybean genome is the presence of a large number of duplicated genes. Potential use of RNA silencing technology in combination with forward genetic approaches for analyzing duplicated genes is discussed.

Post-transcriptional gene silencing in controlling viruses of the Tomato yellow leaf curl virus complex

Tomato yellow leaf curl disease (TYLCD) is caused by a group of geminiviruses that belong to the Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) complex and are transmitted by the whitefly (Bemisia tabaci Genn.). The disease causes great yield losses in many countries throughout the Mediterranean region and the Middle East. In this study, the efficacy of post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) to control the disease caused by TYLCV complex was investigated. Non-coding conserved regions from the genome of TYLCV, Tomato yellow leaf curl virus-mild, tomato yellow leaf curl Sardinia virus, tomato yellow leaf curl Malaga virus, and tomato yellow leaf curl Sardinia virus-Spain [2] were selected and used to design a construct that can trigger broad resistance against different viruses that cause tomato yellow leaf curl disease. The silencing construct was cloned into an Agrobacterium-binary vector in sense and antisense orientation and used in transient assay to infiltrate tomato and Nicotiana benthamiana plants. A high level of resistance was obtained when plants were agro-infiltrated with an infectious clone of the Egyptian isolate of TYLCV (TYLCV-[EG]) or challenge inoculated with TYLCV, TYLCV-Mld, and TYLCSV-ES[2] using whitefly-mediated transmission 16-20 days post infiltration with the silencing construct. Results of the polymerase chain reaction showed that the resistance was effective against all three viruses. Furthermore, dot blot hybridization and PCR failed to detect viral DNA in symptomless, silenced plants. A positive correlation between resistance and the accumulation of TYLCV-specific siRNAs was observed in silenced plants. Together, these data provide compelling evidence that PTGS can be used to engineer geminivirus-resistant plants.

Phage display-selected single-chain antibodies confer high levels of resistance against Tomato spotted wilt virus

Rational design of antibodies targeting essential viral proteins can complement the palette of antiviral resistance strategies. Here, stable and high expression of single-chain monoclonal antibodies targeting the nucleoprotein of the economically important plant virus Tomato spotted wilt virus, a protein that is involved in multiple steps in the viral infection cycle, is reported. High cytoplasmic expression levels of three selected phage display-derived anti-viral single-chain antibodies were established. Of these antibodies, two led to high levels of resistance against this plant virus. Protoplast experiments provided evidence that the two resistance-conferring antibodies may have a different mode of action and could be combined for higher durability of resistance in the field.

Tolerance to Citrus mosaic virus in Transgenic Trifoliate Orange Lines Harboring Capsid Polyprotein Gene

Trifoliate orange plants (Poncirus trifoliata) were transformed with a binary vector containing the capsid polyprotein (pCP) gene of Citrus mosaic virus (CiMV) via Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404. Transformation was performed on the epicotyl segments obtained from a young seedling that was grown in the dark. Southern blot hybridization analysis showed that the transgene was stable in the transgenic lines after regeneration and propagation by grafting. Transgenic lines were screened for tolerance to CiMV by mechanical inoculation. Infection was monitored 30, 60, 90, and 120 days after inoculation by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The transgenic line 24 had the lowest infection rate (7.1%) at 60 days after inoculation, in contrast to that of nontransgenic plants (65.1%).The response of other lines to inoculation ranged from susceptibility to moderate tolerance.

Comparative reactions of recombinant papaya ringspot viruses with chimeric coat protein (CP) genes and wild-type viruses on CP-transgenic papaya

Transgenic papaya cultivars SunUp and Rainbow express the coat protein (CP) gene of the mild mutant of papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) HA. Both cultivars are resistant to PRSV HA and other Hawaii isolates through homology-dependent resistance via post-transcriptional gene silencing. However, Rainbow, which is hemizygous for the CP gene, is susceptible to PRSV isolates from outside Hawaii, while the CP-homozygous SunUp is resistant to most isolates but susceptible to the YK isolate from Taiwan. To investigate the role of CP sequence similarity in overcoming the resistance of Rainbow, PRSV HA recombinants with various CP segments of the YK isolate were constructed and evaluated on Rainbow, SunUp and non-transgenic papaya. Non-transgenic papaya were severely infected by all recombinants, but Rainbow plants developed a variety of symptoms. On Rainbow, a recombinant with the entire CP gene of YK caused severe symptoms, while recombinants with only partial YK CP sequences produced a range of milder symptoms. Interestingly, a recombinant with a YK segment from the 5' region of the CP gene caused very mild, transient symptoms, whereas recombinants with YK segments from the middle and 3' parts of the CP gene caused prominent and lasting symptoms. SunUp was resistant to all but two recombinants, which contained the entire CP gene or the central and 3'-end regions of the CP gene and the 3' non-coding region of YK, and the resulting symptoms were mild. It is concluded that the position of the heterologous sequences in the recombinants influences their pathogenicity on Rainbow.

Molecular strategies for interrupting arthropod-borne virus transmission by mosquitoes

Arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) infections cause a number of emerging and resurgent human and veterinary infectious diseases. Traditional means of controlling arbovirus diseases include vaccination of susceptible vertebrates and mosquito control, but in many cases these have been unavailable or ineffective, and so novel strategies for disease control are needed. One possibility is genetic manipulation of mosquito vectors to render them unable to transmit arboviruses. This review describes recent work to test the concept of pathogen-derived resistance in arthropods by expression of viral genes in mosquito cell cultures and mosquitoes. Sense and antisense genome sequences from La Crosse virus (LAC) (a member of the Bunyaviridae) and dengue viruses serotypes 1 to 4 (DEN-1 to DEN-4) (members of the Flaviviridae) were expressed in mosquito cells from double-subgenomic and replicon vectors based on Sindbis virus (a member of the Togaviridae). The cells were then challenged with homologous or related viruses. For LAC, expression of antisense sequences from the small (S) genome segment, particularly full-length antisense S RNA, effectively interfered with replication of challenge virus, whereas expression of either antisense or sense RNA from the medium (M) segment was completely ineffective in LAC inhibition. Expression of sense and antisense RNA derived from certain regions of the DEN genome also blocked homologous virus replication more effectively than did RNA from other regions. Other parameters of RNA-mediated interference have been defined, such as the time when replication is blocked and the minimum size of effector RNA. The mechanism of RNA inhibition has not been determined, although it resembles double-stranded RNA interference in other nonvertebrate systems. Prospects for application of molecular strategies to control arbovirus diseases are briefly reviewed.

Molecular strategies for interrupting arthropod-borne virus transmission by mosquitoes

Arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) infections cause a number of emerging and resurgent human and veterinary infectious diseases. Traditional means of controlling arbovirus diseases include vaccination of susceptible vertebrates and mosquito control, but in many cases these have been unavailable or ineffective, and so novel strategies for disease control are needed. One possibility is genetic manipulation of mosquito vectors to render them unable to transmit arboviruses. This review describes recent work to test the concept of pathogen-derived resistance in arthropods by expression of viral genes in mosquito cell cultures and mosquitoes. Sense and antisense genome sequences from La Crosse virus (LAC) (a member of the Bunyaviridae) and dengue viruses serotypes 1 to 4 (DEN-1 to DEN-4) (members of the Flaviviridae) were expressed in mosquito cells from double-subgenomic and replicon vectors based on Sindbis virus (a member of the Togaviridae). The cells were then challenged with homologous or related viruses. For LAC, expression of antisense sequences from the small (S) genome segment, particularly full-length antisense S RNA, effectively interfered with replication of challenge virus, whereas expression of either antisense or sense RNA from the medium (M) segment was completely ineffective in LAC inhibition. Expression of sense and antisense RNA derived from certain regions of the DEN genome also blocked homologous virus replication more effectively than did RNA from other regions. Other parameters of RNA-mediated interference have been defined, such as the time when replication is blocked and the minimum size of effector RNA. The mechanism of RNA inhibition has not been determined, although it resembles double-stranded RNA interference in other nonvertebrate systems. Prospects for application of molecular strategies to control arbovirus diseases are briefly reviewed.

Evidence that resistance in squash mosaic comovirus coat protein-transgenic plants is affected by plant developmental stage and enhanced by combination of transgenes from different lines

Three transgenic lines of squash hemizygous for the coat protein genes of squash mosaic virus (SqMV) were shown previously to have resistant (SqMV-127), susceptible (SqMV-22) or recovery (SqMV-3) phenotypes. Post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) was the underlying mechanism for resistance of SqMV-127. Here, experiments conducted to determine the mechanism of the recovery phenotype and whether enhanced resistance could be obtained by combining transgenes from susceptible and recovery plants are reported. Upper leaves of SqMV-3 plants were sampled for Northern analysis at 17, 31 and 45 days after germination (DAG) and a proportion of plants were inoculated with SqMV. SqMV-3 plants inoculated at a young stage (17 DAG) showed susceptible or recovery phenotypes. However, a number of plants inoculated at later developmental stages (31 or 45 DAG) were resistant to infection. Resistance of recovery plants was due to PTGS that was activated at a later developmental stage, independent of virus infection. Similar results were observed with plants grown under field conditions. To investigate the interactions of transgenes, progeny of crosses between SqMV-127, -3 and -22 were inoculated with SqMV. Progeny with the transgene of line 127 were resistant. However, a number of plants with transgenes from the recovery and susceptible lines or the self-pollinated recovery line were resistant even when inoculated at a young stage. Northern analysis suggested that resistance was due to PTGS. The results reveal that the timing of PTGS and consequent resistance of the transgenic plants were affected by their developmental stage and the interaction of transgene inserts.

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

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 R(2) 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 R(1) plants were resistant and resistance was not observed in R(2) plants. These results clearly show the applicability of multiple virus resistance through the fusion of viral segments to DNAs that induce PTGS.

Mutations in the coat protein gene of plum pox virus suppress particle assembly, heterologous encapsidation and complementation in transgenic plants of Nicotiana benthamiana

Two different motifs in the coat protein (CP) of Plum pox virus (PPV) (R(3015)Q(3016), D(3059)) were mutated by replacing the respective amino acids with others possessing different chemical properties. The mutated CP genes were introduced into an infectious full-length clone of PPV (p35PPV-NAT) to investigate their influence on systemic infection of transgenic wild-type PPV CP-expressing and non-transgenic plants of Nicotiana benthamiana. All mutants failed to establish systemic infections in non-transgenic N. benthamiana plants, but were complemented by intact CP in transgenic plants. Moreover, the CP-RQ-D mutant (carrying mutations in both the RQ and D motifs) was introduced into p35PPV-NAT engineered to express beta-glucuronidase (GUS) for direct observation of systemic movement and particle assembly in N. benthamiana leaves. GUS-staining revealed that the CP mutant (RQ-D) was restricted to initially infected cells without forming virions. Systemic movement and particle assembly were restored in CP-transgenic N. benthamiana plants. Finally, transgenic N. benthamiana plants were generated that expressed each of the three mutated CP genes. Homozygous T(2) lines were selected and tested for resistance to PPV. Immunogold labelling and electron microscopy revealed that heterologous encapsidation with challenging Chilli veinal mottle virus and Potato virus Y was suppressed in these lines. In addition, assembly mutants did not complement CP-defective p35PPV-NAT. The possible use of modified viral CP genes for the production of virus-resistant transgenic plants, thereby reducing the putative risks of heterologous encapsidation and complementation, is discussed.

A minimum length of N gene sequence in transgenic plants is required for RNA-mediated tospovirus resistance

We showed previously that transgenic plants with the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene fused to segments of the nucleocapsid (N) gene of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) displayed post-transcriptional gene silencing of the GFP and N gene segments and resistance to TSWV. These results suggested that a chimeric transgene composed of viral gene segments might confer multiple virus resistance in transgenic plants. To test this hypothesis and to determine the minimum length of the N gene that could trans-inactivate the challenging TSWV, transgenic plants were developed that contained GFP fused with N gene segments of 24-453 bp. Progeny from these plants were challenged with: (i) a chimeric tobacco mosaic virus containing the GFP gene, (ii) a chimeric tobacco mosaic virus with GFP plus the N gene of TSWV and (iii) TSWV. A number of transgenic plants expressing the transgene with GFP fused to N gene segments from 110 to 453 bp in size were resistant to these viruses. Resistant plants exhibited post-transcriptional gene silencing. In contrast, all transgenic lines with transgenes consisting of GFP fused to N gene segments of 24 or 59 bp were susceptible to TSWV, even though the transgene was post-transcriptionally silenced. Thus, virus resistance and post-transcriptional gene silencing were uncoupled when the N gene segment was 59 bp or less. These results provide evidence that multiple virus resistance is possible through the simple strategy of linking viral gene segments to a silencer DNA such as GFP.

Tobacco plants transformed with a modified coat protein of tomato mottle begomovirus show resistance to virus infection

ABSTRACT Tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum 'Xanthi') were transformed with a binary vector containing the coat protein gene of tomato mottle begomo-virus (ToMoV) modified by the deletion of 30 nucleotides in the 5' end. The R(1) generation was screened for resistance to ToMoV by inoculation with viruliferous whiteflies. Fifteen days after inoculation, symptom development was recorded weekly for up to 120 days using a visual scale, and ToMoV infection was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The response to high inoculation levels of ToMoV varied and ranged from susceptibility to immunity. The transgene transcript was detected by northern blot analysis; however, the transgene product could not be detected by protein blot analysis using antisera reactive with ToMoV coat protein. The lack of detection of the transgene product in resistant plants suggests that it is not involved in eliciting the resistance response and that resistance may be mediated by the transgene transcript.

Mitotic stability of infection-induced resistance to plum pox potyvirus associated with transgene silencing and DNA methylation

Plum pox potyvirus (PPV) infection of transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana plants that expressed the PPV NIb RNA replicase carrying a Gly to Val mutation at the GDD motif (NIbV lines) induced a phenotype of virus resistance and transgene silencing, which was not transmissible to the progeny after self-fertilization (H. S. Guo and J. A. García, Mol. Plant-Microbe Interact. 10:160-170, 1997). Here, we demonstrate that the induced resistance of NIbV plants is mitotically stable after plant propagation by grafting and by in vitro regeneration. Virus replication or residual virus RNA seem not to be required to maintain transgene silencing and virus resistance. Analysis by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) amplification after treatment with methylation-sensitive restriction nucleases indicates that DNA methylation is associated with establishment and maintenance of transgene silencing and virus resistance. Restoration of transgene activity and susceptibility to PPV in sexual progeny correlated with resetting of transgene DNA methylation. On the basis of these and other published results, we present a general model for post-transcriptional gene silencing in which RNA signals, generated either by a silenced nuclear gene or by virus replication, both activate a specific cytoplasmic RNA degradation pathway and induce changes (in particular, DNA methylation) in homologous nuclear genes that switch them from an active to a silenced status.

Plum pox potyvirus resistance associated to transgene silencing that can be stabilized after different number of plant generations

Nicotiana benthamiana plants were transformed with a fragment of the plum pox potyvirus (PPV) genome that encodes the nuclear inclusion a (NIa) and b (NIb) proteins and the N-terminus of the capsid protein (NIa-NIb-CP). Lines transformed with this PPV genomic fragment harboring mutations in the GDD replicase-motif were also obtained. Plants of NIaDeltaV lines that carry a GDD to VDD mutation in the PPV transgene, were immune to PPV infection. The resistance was highly specific, since it was only partially overcome by a PPV strain different to that from which the transgene was derived, and no resistance was observed after inoculation with a second potyvirus. PPV was not able to replicate in protoplasts isolated from NIaDeltaV transgenic plants, indicating that the resistance was functional at the single cell level. Only a fraction of plants from lines transformed with the NIa-NIb-CP fragment harboring a GDD to ADD mutation (NIaDeltaA lines), were resistant to PPV infection. This same phenotype was observed in plants expressing the wild-type construction (NIaDelta), although the progeny of some non-infected plants seemed to be completely resistant to PPV, independently of the allelic status of the parental plant. In all cases, the resistance phenotype correlated positively with low levels of transgene mRNA accumulation, suggesting that it was mainly due to a gene silencing mechanism. Our results show that, although the transgene was not silenced in all R1 plants from some individual lines, a stable silenced status could be reached in the following generations.

The emerging problem of tospovirus infection and nonconventional methods of control

The emergence of tospoviruses as a significant problem in the cultivation of many crops around the world makes it vital to develop strategies to restrain these viruses. So far, only a few natural resistance genes suitable for introduction into plant breeding programs have been identified, prompting the exploitation of alternative ways of introducing virus resistance into crop plants, such as genetic modifications.