Single-chain antibodies against a plant viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase confer virus resistance

Nanobody Mediated Atrazine Resistance in Plants

In planta expression of recombinant antibodies has been proposed as a strategy for herbicide resistance but is not well advanced yet. Here, an atrazine nanobody gene fused with a green fluorescent protein tag was transformed to Arabidopsis thaliana, which was confirmed with PCR, ELISA, and immunoblotting. High levels of nanobody accumulation were observed in the nucleus, cytoderm, and cytosol. The nanobody expressed in the plant had similar affinity, sensitivity, and selectivity as that expressed in Escherichia coli. The T3 homozygous line showed resistance in a dose-dependent manner up to 380 g ai/ha of atrazine, which is approximately one-third of the recommended field application rate. This is the first report of utilizing a nanobody in plants against herbicides. The results suggest that utilizing a high-affinity herbicide nanobody gene rather than increasing the expression of nanobodies in plants may be a technically viable approach to acquire commercial herbicide-resistant crops and could be a useful tool to study plant physiology.

Generation and Characterization of Nanobodies Against Tomato Leaf Curl Sudan Virus

Begomoviruses infect food, fiber, and vegetable crop plants, including tomato, potato, bean, cotton, cucumber, and pumpkin, and damage many economically important crop plants worldwide. Tomato leaf curl Sudan virus (ToLCSDV) is the most widespread tomato-infecting begomovirus in Saudi Arabia. Using phage display technology, this study isolated two camel-derived nanobodies against purified ToLCSDV virions from a library of antigen-binding fragments (VHH or nanobody) of heavy-chain antibodies built from an immunized camel. The isolated nanobodies also cross-reacted with purified tomato yellow leaf curl virus virions and showed significant enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay reactivity with extracts from plants with typical begomovirus infection symptoms. The results can pave the way to developing diagnostics for begomovirus detection, design, and characterization of novel nanomaterials based on virus-like particles, in addition to nanobody-mediated begomovirus resistance in economically important crops, such as tomato, potato, and cucumber.

Therapeutic Development in COVID-19

Since the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the SARS-CoV-2, the disease has spread rapidly worldwide and developed into a global pandemic, causing a significant impact on the global health system and economic development. Scientists have been racing to find effective drugs and vaccines for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19. However, due to the diversity of clinical manifestations caused by COVID-19, no standard antiviral regimen beyond supportive therapy has been established. Ongoing clinical trials are underway to evaluate the efficacy of drugs that primarily act on the viral replication cycle or enhanced immunity of patients. This chapter will summarize the currently used antiviral and adjuvant therapies in clinical practice and provide a theoretical basis for the future treatment of COVID-19.

Towards plant resistance to viruses using protein-only RNase P

Plant viruses cause massive crop yield loss worldwide. Most plant viruses are RNA viruses, many of which contain a functional tRNA-like structure. RNase P has the enzymatic activity to catalyze the 5′ maturation of precursor tRNAs. It is also able to cleave tRNA-like structures. However, RNase P enzymes only accumulate in the nucleus, mitochondria, and chloroplasts rather than cytosol where virus replication takes place. Here, we report a biotechnology strategy based on the re-localization of plant protein-only RNase P to the cytosol (CytoRP) to target plant viruses tRNA-like structures and thus hamper virus replication. We demonstrate the cytosol localization of protein-only RNase P in Arabidopsis protoplasts. In addition, we provide in vitro evidences for CytoRP to cleave turnip yellow mosaic virus and oilseed rape mosaic virus. However, we observe varied in vivo results. The possible reasons have been discussed. Overall, the results provided here show the potential of using CytoRP for combating some plant viral diseases.

New approaches to plant disease control are important for pathogens that are difficult to control by existing methods. Here, the authors report a potential strategy to combat plant viruses by cytosolic expressed protein-only RNase P and show its ability for in vitro cleavage of tRNA-like structures existing in many plant viruses.

Applications of nanobodies in plant science and biotechnology

Present review summarizes the current applications of nanobodies in plant science and biotechnology, including plant expression of nanobodies, plant biotechnological applications, nanobody-based immunodetection, and nanobody-mediated resistance against plant pathogens. Nanobodies (Nbs) are variable domains of heavy chain-only antibodies (HCAbs) isolated from camelids. In spite of their single domain structure, nanobodies display many unique features, such as small size, high stability, and cryptic epitopes accessibility, which make them ideal for sophisticated applications in plants and animals. In this review, we summarize the current applications of nanobodies in plant science and biotechnology, focusing on nanobody expression in plants, plant biotechnological applications, determination of plant toxins and pathogens, and nanobody-mediated resistance against plant pathogens. Prospects and challenges of nanobody applications in plants are also discussed.

Seed-produced anti-globulin VHH-Fc antibodies retrieve globulin precursors in the insoluble fraction and modulate the Arabidopsis thaliana seed subcellular morphology

Nanobody-heavy chain (VHH-Fc) antibody formats have the potential to immunomodulate even highly accumulating proteins and provide a valuable tool to experimentally modulate the subcellular distribution of seed storage proteins. Recombinant antibodies often obtain high accumulation levels in plants, and thus, besides being the actual end-product, antibodies targeting endogenous host proteins can be used to interfere with the localization and functioning of their corresponding antigens. Here, we compared the effect of a seed-expressed nanobody-heavy chain (VHH-Fc) antibody against the highly abundant Arabidopsis thaliana globulin seed storage protein cruciferin with that of a VHH-Fc antibody without endogenous target. Both antibodies reached high accumulation levels of around 10% of total soluble protein, but strikingly, another significant part was present in the insoluble protein fraction and was recovered only after extraction under denaturing conditions. In seeds containing the anti-cruciferin antibodies but not the antibody without endogenous target, the amount of soluble, processed globulin subunits was severely reduced and a major part of the cruciferin molecules was found as precursor in the insoluble fraction. Moreover, in these seeds, aberrant vacuolar phenotypes were observed that were different from the effects caused by the depletion of globulins in knock-out seeds. Remarkably, the seeds with strongly reduced globulin amounts are fully viable and germinate with frequencies similar to wild type, illustrating how flexible seeds can retrieve amino acids from the stored proteins to start germination.

Expression of Single Chain Variable Fragment (scFv) Molecules in Plants: A Comprehensive Update

Single chain variable fragments (scFvs) are generated by joining together the variable heavy and light chain of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) via a peptide linker. They offer some advantages over the parental mAb such as low molecular weight, heterologous production, multimeric form, and multivalency. The scFvs were produced against more than 50 antigens till date using 10 different plant species as the expression system. There were considerable improvements in the expression and purification strategies of scFv in the last 24 years. With the growing demand of scFv in therapeutic and diagnostic fields, its biosynthesis needs to be increased. The easiness in development, maintenance, and multiplication of transgenic plants make them an attractive expression platform for scFv production. The review intends to provide comprehensive information about the use of plant expression system to produce scFv. The developments, advantages, pitfalls, and possible prospects of improvement for the exploitation of plants in the industrial level are discussed.

Trichoderma/pathogen/plant interaction in pre-harvest food security

Large losses before crop harvesting are caused by plant pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, oomycetes, fungi, and nematodes. Among these, fungi are the major cause of losses in agriculture worldwide. Plant pathogens are still controlled through application of agrochemicals, causing human disease and impacting environmental and food security. Biological control provides a safe alternative for the control of fungal plant pathogens, because of the ability of biocontrol agents to establish in the ecosystem. Some Trichoderma spp. are considered potential agents in the control of fungal plant diseases. They can interact directly with roots, increasing plant growth, resistance to diseases, and tolerance to abiotic stress. Furthermore, Trichoderma can directly kill fungal plant pathogens by antibiosis, as well as via mycoparasitism strategies. In this review, we will discuss the interactions between Trichoderma/fungal pathogens/plants during the pre-harvest of crops. In addition, we will highlight how these interactions can influence crop production and food security. Finally, we will describe the future of crop production using antimicrobial peptides, plants carrying pathogen-derived resistance, and plantibodies.

Engineering partial resistance to cucumber mosaic virus in tobacco using intrabodies specific for the viral polymerase

A single-chain variable antibody fragment (scFv) library tested against the non-structural NSP5 protein of human rotavirus A was screened by a yeast two-hybrid system against three proteins derived from the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), with the aim of blocking their function and preventing viral infection once expressed in planta. The constructs tested were (i) '2a' consisting of the full-length 2a gene (839 amino acids, aa), (ii) 'Motifs' covering the conserved RdRp motifs (IV-VII) (132 aa) and (iii) 'GDD' located within the conserved RdRp motif VI (GDD, 22 aa). In yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) selection assays the '2a' and 'Motifs' constructs interacted with 96 and 25 library constructs, respectively, while the 'GDD' construct caused transactivation. Y2H-interacting scFvs were analyzed in vivo for their interaction with the 2a and Motifs proteins in a mammalian transient expression system. Eighteen tobacco lines stably transformed with four selected scFvs were produced and screened for resistance against two different CMV isolates. Different levels of resistance and rate of recovery were observed with CMV of both groups I and II, particularly in lines expressing intrabodies against the full-length 2a protein. This work describes for the first time the use of intrabodies against the RdRp of CMV to obtain plants that reduce infection of a pandemic virus, showing that the selected scFvs can modulate virus infection and induce premature recovery in tobacco plants.

Monoclonal antibody against EV71 3Dpol inhibits the polymerase activity of RdRp and virus replication

BACKGROUND

Enterovirus A 71 (EV71) is a neurotropic virus that may lead to acute flaccid paralysis, encephalitis, cardiopulmonary failure or even death. No vaccine and defensive drug controlling EV71 is currently available, novel and efficient antiviral drug or vaccine is therefore urgently needed. 3D^pol (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp)) has been an important target for anti-EV71 drug development.

METHODS

A panel of monoclonal IgG antibodies (mAbs) against EV71 3D^pol were generated by traditional cell fusion methods. And the antibody affinity and specificity to EV71 3D^pol were evaluated by Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), Indirect Fluorescent Assay (IFA) and Western blotting. Antiviral activities of these antibodies were also determined in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

Two mAbs towards EV71 3D^pol were able to effectively suppress EV71 replication in Vero-1008 cell when intracellarly delivered. And they also dampened the RNA polymerase activity of 3D^pol in vitro. More importantly, these mAbs provided partial protection in EV71-challenged neonatal murine challenge model.

CONCLUSIONS

These results showed that two of mAbs against EV71 3D^pol inhibited EV71 replication and could be utilized as promising therapeutic drug candidate.

Nanobody-mediated resistance to Grapevine fanleaf virus in plants

Since their discovery, single-domain antigen-binding fragments of camelid-derived heavy-chain-only antibodies, also known as nanobodies (Nbs), have proven to be of outstanding interest as therapeutics against human diseases and pathogens including viruses, but their use against phytopathogens remains limited. Many plant viruses including Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV), a nematode-transmitted icosahedral virus and causal agent of fanleaf degenerative disease, have worldwide distribution and huge burden on crop yields representing billions of US dollars of losses annually, yet solutions to combat these viruses are often limited or inefficient. Here, we identified a Nb specific to GFLV that confers strong resistance to GFLV upon stable expression in the model plant Nicotiana benthamiana and also in grapevine rootstock, the natural host of the virus. We showed that resistance was effective against a broad range of GFLV isolates independently of the inoculation method including upon nematode transmission but not against its close relative, Arabis mosaic virus. We also demonstrated that virus neutralization occurs at an early step of the virus life cycle, prior to cell-to-cell movement. Our findings will not only be instrumental to confer resistance to GFLV in grapevine, but more generally they pave the way for the generation of novel antiviral strategies in plants based on Nbs.

Antibody-mediated modulation of cytokinins in tobacco: organ-specific changes in cytokinin homeostasis

Cytokinins comprise a group of phytohormones with an organ-specific mode of action. Although the mechanisms controlling the complex networks of cytokinin metabolism are partially known, the role of individual cytokinin types in the maintenance of cytokinin homeostasis remains unclear. Utilizing the overproduction of single-chain Fv antibodies selected for their ability to bind trans-zeatin riboside and targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum, we post-synthetically modulated cytokinin ribosides, the proposed transport forms of cytokinins. We observed asymmetric activity of cytokinin biosynthetic genes and cytokinin distribution in wild-type tobacco seedlings with higher cytokinin abundance in the root than in the shoot. Antibody-mediated modulation of cytokinin ribosides further enhanced the relative cytokinin abundance in the roots and induced cytokinin-related phenotypes in an organ-specific manner. The activity of cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase in the roots was strongly up-regulated in response to antibody-mediated formation of the cytokinin pool in the endoplasmic reticulum. However, we only detected a slight decrease in the root cytokinin levels. In contrast, a significant decrease of cytokinins occurred in the shoot. We suggest the roots as the main site of cytokinin biosynthesis in tobacco seedlings. Conversely, cytokinin levels in the shoot seem to depend largely on long-range transport of cytokinin ribosides from the root and their subsequent metabolic activation.

Nanobody-Directed Specific Degradation of Proteins by the 26S-Proteasome in Plants

Here, we present data showing the directed degradation of target proteins recognized by a specific nanobody in transgenic plants. Green fluorescent protein was depleted by a chimeric nanobody fused to a distinct F-box domain, which enables protein degradation via the ubiquitin proteasome pathway. This technique could thus be used to knock out other proteins of interest in planta using specific, high-affinity binding proteins.

Leucine-rich-repeat-containing variable lymphocyte receptors as modules to target plant-expressed proteins

BACKGROUND

The ability to target and manipulate protein-based cellular processes would accelerate plant research; yet, the technology to specifically and selectively target plant-expressed proteins is still in its infancy. Leucine-rich repeats (LRRs) are ubiquitously present protein domains involved in mediating protein-protein interactions. LRRs confer the binding specificity to the highly diverse variable lymphocyte receptor (VLR) antibodies (including VLRA, VLRB and VLRC types) that jawless vertebrates make as the functional equivalents of jawed vertebrate immunoglobulin-based antibodies.

RESULTS

In this study, VLRBs targeting an effector protein from a plant pathogen, HopM1, were developed by immunizing lampreys and using yeast surface display to select for high-affinity VLRBs. HopM1-specific VLRBs (VLR_M1) were expressed in planta in the cytosol, the trans-Golgi network, and the apoplast. Expression of VLR_M1 was higher when the protein localized to an oxidizing environment that would favor disulfide bridge formation (when VLR_M1 was not localized to the cytoplasm), as disulfide bonds are necessary for proper VLR folding. VLR_M1 specifically interacted in planta with HopM1 but not with an unrelated bacterial effector protein while HopM1 failed to interact with a non-specific VLRB.

CONCLUSIONS

In the future, VLRs may be used as flexible modules to bind proteins or carbohydrates of interest in planta, with broad possibilities for their use by binding directly to their targets and inhibiting their action, or by creating chimeric proteins with new specificities in which endogenous LRR domains are replaced by those present in VLRs.

Immunodominant membrane proteins of phytoplasmas

Phytoplasmas are plant-pathogenic, phloem-colonizing, cell wall-less microorganisms that are primarily dependent on insect transmission for their spread and survival. The life cycle of phytoplasmas involves replication in insects and host plants. Until recently, phytoplasmas have resisted all attempts at cultivation in cell-free media, making these pathogens poorly characterized on a physiological and biochemical basis. However, host-pathogen relationships can be studied by investigating immunodominant membrane proteins (IDPs), which are located on the exterior surfaces of phytoplasma cells and are the most abundant proteins of the cell membrane. These membrane proteins come in direct contact with both insect and plant hosts and are thought to play a crucial role in phytoplasma spread both within the plant and by insect vectors. Therefore, there is great interest in studying this class of proteins. We summarize and discuss important investigations about these membrane proteins, which have already provided a better understanding of the host-phytoplasma relationship.

Efficient expression of single chain variable fragment antibody against paclitaxel using the Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus bacmid DNA system and its characterizations

A single chain variable fragment (scFv), the smallest unit of functional recombinant antibody, is an attractive format of recombinant antibodies for various applications due to its small fragment and possibility of genetic engineering. Hybridoma clone 3A3 secreting anti-paclitaxel monoclonal antibody was used to construct genes encoding its variable domains of heavy (VH) and light (VL) chains. The VH and VL domains were linked to be the PT-scFv3A3 using flexible peptide linker in a format of VH-(GGGGS)5-VL. The PT-scFv3A3 was primarily expressed using the pET28a(+) vector in the Escherichia coli system, and was then further expressed by using the Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) bacmid DNA system. Interestingly, the reactivity of PT-scFv3A3 expressed in the hemolymph of B. mori using the BmNPV bacmid DNA system was much higher than that expressed in the E. coli system. Using indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (icELISA), the PT-scFv3A3 (B. mori) reacted not only with immobilized paclitaxel, but also with free paclitaxel in a concentration-dependent manner, with the linear range of free paclitaxel between 0.156 and 5.00 µg/ml. The PT-scFv3A3 (B. mori) exhibited less cross-reactivity (%) than its parental MAb clone 3A3 against paclitaxel-related compounds, including docetaxel (31.1 %), 7-xylosyltaxol (22.1 %), baccatin III (<0.68 %), 10-deacetylbaccatin III (<0.68 %), 1-hydroxybaccatin I (<0.68 %), and 1-acetoxy-5-deacetylbaccatin I (<0.68 %). With the exception of cephalomannine, the cross-reactivity was slightly increased to 8.50 %. The BmNPV bacmid DNA system was a highly efficient expression system of active PT-scFv3A3, which is applicable for PT-scFv3A3-based immunoassay of paclitaxel. In addition, the PT-scFv3A3 can be applied to evaluate its neutralizing property of paclitaxel or docetaxel toxicity.

Antibody-Mediated Pathogen Resistance in Plants

The methods described in this chapter were developed in order to produce transgenic plants expressing pathogen-specific single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibodies fused to antifungal peptides (AFPs), conferring resistance against fungal pathogens. We describe the selection from a phage display library of avian scFv antibodies that recognize cell surface proteins on fungi from the genus Fusarium, and the construction of scFv-AFP fusion protein constructs followed by their transient expression in tobacco (Nicotiana spp.) plants and stable expression in Arabidopsis thaliana plants. Using these techniques, the antibody fusion with the most promising in vitro activity can be used to generate transgenic plants that are resistant to pathogens such as Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. matthiolae.

A Strategy for Generating a Broad-Spectrum Monoclonal Antibody and Soluble Single-Chain Variable Fragments against Plant Potyviruses

Potyviruses are major pathogens that often cause mixed infection in calla lilies. To reduce the time and cost of virus indexing, a detection method for the simultaneous targeting of multiple potyviruses was developed by generating a broad-spectrum monoclonal antibody (MAb) for detecting the greatest possible number of potyviruses. The conserved 121-amino-acid core regions of the capsid proteins of Dasheen mosaic potyvirus (DsMV), Konjak mosaic potyvirus (KoMV), and Zantedeschia mild mosaic potyvirus (ZaMMV) were sequentially concatenated and expressed as a recombinant protein for immunization. After hybridoma cell fusion and selection, one stable cell line that secreted a group-specific antibody, named C4 MAb, was selected. In the reaction spectrum test, the C4 MAb detected at least 14 potyviruses by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (I-ELISA) and Western blot analysis. Furthermore, the variable regions of the heavy (VH) and light (VL) chains of the C4 MAb were separately cloned and constructed as single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) for expression in Escherichia coli. Moreover, the pectate lyase E (PelE) signal peptide of Erwinia chrysanthemi S3-1 was added to promote the secretion of C4 scFvs into the medium. According to Western blot analysis and I-ELISA, the soluble C4 scFv (VL-VH) fragment showed a binding specificity similar to that of the C4 MAb. Our results demonstrate that a recombinant protein derived from fusion of the conserved regions of viral proteins has the potential to produce a broad-spectrum MAb against a large group of viruses and that the PelE signal peptide can improve the secretion of scFvs in E. coli.

Transgenic resistance

Transgenic resistance to plant viruses is an important technology for control of plant virus infection, which has been demonstrated for many model systems, as well as for the most important plant viruses, in terms of the costs of crop losses to disease, and also for many other plant viruses infecting various fruits and vegetables. Different approaches have been used over the last 28 years to confer resistance, to ascertain whether particular genes or RNAs are more efficient at generating resistance, and to take advantage of advances in the biology of RNA interference to generate more efficient and environmentally safer, novel "resistance genes." The approaches used have been based on expression of various viral proteins (mostly capsid protein but also replicase proteins, movement proteins, and to a much lesser extent, other viral proteins), RNAs [sense RNAs (translatable or not), antisense RNAs, satellite RNAs, defective-interfering RNAs, hairpin RNAs, and artificial microRNAs], nonviral genes (nucleases, antiviral inhibitors, and plantibodies), and host-derived resistance genes (dominant resistance genes and recessive resistance genes), and various factors involved in host defense responses. This review examines the above range of approaches used, the viruses that were tested, and the host species that have been examined for resistance, in many cases describing differences in results that were obtained for various systems developed in the last 20 years. We hope this compilation of experiences will aid those who are seeking to use this technology to provide resistance in yet other crops, where nature has not provided such.

Biotechnological strategies and tools for Plum pox virus resistance: trans-, intra-, cis-genesis, and beyond

Plum pox virus (PPV) is the etiological agent of sharka, the most devastating and economically important viral disease affecting Prunus species. It is widespread in most stone fruits producing countries even though eradication and quarantine programs are in place. The development of resistant cultivars and rootstocks remains the most ecologically and economically suitable approach to achieve long-term control of sharka disease. However, the few PPV resistance genetic resources found in Prunus germplasm along with some intrinsic biological features of stone fruit trees pose limits for efficient and fast breeding programs. This review focuses on an array of biotechnological strategies and tools, which have been used, or may be exploited to confer PPV resistance. A considerable number of scientific studies clearly indicate that robust and predictable resistance can be achieved by transforming plant species with constructs encoding intron-spliced hairpin RNAs homologous to conserved regions of the PPV genome. In addition, we discuss how recent advances in our understanding of PPV biology can be profitably exploited to develop viral interference strategies. In particular, genetic manipulation of host genes by which PPV accomplishes its infection cycle already permits the creation of intragenic resistant plants. Finally, we review the emerging genome editing technologies based on ZFN, TALEN and CRISPR/Cas9 engineered nucleases and how the knockout of host susceptibility genes will open up next generation of PPV resistant plants.

Camelid nanobodies with high affinity for broad bean mottle virus: a possible promising tool to immunomodulate plant resistance against viruses

Worldwide, plant viral infections decrease seriously the crop production yield, boosting the demand to develop new strategies to control viral diseases. One of these strategies to prevent viral infections, based on the immunomodulation faces many problems related to the ectopic expression of specific antibodies in planta. Camelid nanobodies, expressed in plants, may offer a solution as they are an attractive tool to bind efficiently to viral epitopes, cryptic or not accessible to conventional antibodies. Here, we report a novel, generic approach that might lead to virus resistance based on the expression of camelid specific nanobodies against Broad bean mottle virus (BBMV). Eight nanobodies, recognizing BBMV with high specificity and affinity, were retrieved after phage display from a large 'immune' library constructed from an immunized Arabic camel. By an in vitro assay we demonstrate how three nanobodies attenuate the BBMV spreading in inoculated Vicia faba plants. Furthermore, the in planta transient expression of these three selected nanobodies confirms their virus neutralizing capacity. In conclusion, this report supports that plant resistance against viral infections can be achieved by the in vivo expression of camelid nanobodies.

Engineered plant virus resistance

Virus diseases are among the key limiting factors that cause significant yield loss and continuously threaten crop production. Resistant cultivars coupled with pesticide application are commonly used to circumvent these threats. One of the limitations of the reliance on resistant cultivars is the inevitable breakdown of resistance due to the multitude of variable virus populations. Similarly, chemical applications to control virus transmitting insect vectors are costly to the farmers, cause adverse health and environmental consequences, and often result in the emergence of resistant vector strains. Thus, exploiting strategies that provide durable and broad-spectrum resistance over diverse environments are of paramount importance. The development of plant gene transfer systems has allowed for the introgression of alien genes into plant genomes for novel disease control strategies, thus providing a mechanism for broadening the genetic resources available to plant breeders. Genetic engineering offers various options for introducing transgenic virus resistance into crop plants to provide a wide range of resistance to viral pathogens. This review examines the current strategies of developing virus resistant transgenic plants.

Targeted in vivo inhibition of specific protein-protein interactions using recombinant antibodies

With the growing availability of genomic sequence information, there is an increasing need for gene function analysis. Antibody-mediated "silencing" represents an intriguing alternative for the precise inhibition of a particular function of biomolecules. Here, we describe a method for selecting recombinant antibodies with a specific purpose in mind, which is to inhibit intrinsic protein-protein interactions in the cytosol of plant cells. Experimental procedures were designed for conveniently evaluating desired properties of recombinant antibodies in consecutive steps. Our selection method was successfully used to develop a recombinant antibody inhibiting the interaction of ARABIDOPSIS HISTIDINE PHOSPHOTRANSFER PROTEIN 3 with such of its upstream interaction partners as the receiver domain of CYTOKININ INDEPENDENT HISTIDINE KINASE 1. The specific down-regulation of the cytokinin signaling pathway in vivo demonstrates the validity of our approach. This selection method can serve as a prototype for developing unique recombinant antibodies able to interfere with virtually any biomolecule in the living cell.

Transgenic resistance to Bamboo mosaic virus by expression of interfering satellite RNA

Plant genetic engineering has broadened the options for plant virus resistance and is mostly based on pathogen-derived resistance. Previously, we have shown that interfering satellite RNA (satRNA) of Bamboo mosaic virus (satBaMV) greatly reduces Bamboo mosaic virus (BaMV) accumulation and BaMV-induced symptoms in co-inoculated plants. Here, we generated a nonviral source of virus-resistant transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana and Arabidopsis thaliana by introducing interfering satBaMV. Asymptomatic transgenic N. benthamiana lines were highly resistant to BaMV virion and viral RNA infection, and the expression of the transgene BSL6 was higher in asymptomatic than mildly symptomatic lines. In addition, BaMV- and satBaMV-specific small RNAs were detectable only after BaMV challenge, and their levels were associated with genomic viral RNA or satRNA levels. By transcriptomic analysis, the salicylic acid (SA) signalling pathway was not induced in satBaMV transgenic A. thaliana in mock conditions, suggesting that two major antiviral mechanisms, RNA silencing and SA-mediated resistance, are not involved directly in transgenic satBaMV-mediated BaMV interference. In contrast, resistance is associated with the level of the interfering satBaMV transgene. We propose satBaMV-mediated BaMV interference in transgenic plants by competition for replicase with BaMV.

Attainment of 15-fold higher affinity of a Fusarium-specific single-chain antibody by directed molecular evolution coupled to phage display

Fusarium head blight (FHB) caused by Fusarium graminearum infection is a devastating disease of wheat, maize, and other cereals. A previously isolated chicken single-chain Fv antibody (scFv), CWP2, that conferred durable resistance in planta was subjected to directed evolution by error-prone PCR and DNA shuffling, generating a mutated library. Panning of the mutated library against cell wall-bound proteins (CWPs) from F. graminearum by phage display enriched phage clones that were used for a further round of DNA shuffling to construct a combinatorial library comprising 3 × 10(6) variants. Screening of this library by phage display for variants reactive against the CWPs led to the identification of a number of clones. Comparative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analyses revealed eight clones exhibiting a higher reactivity than the parent, CWP2, and containing four different single-chain antibody sequences. Surface plasmon resonance measurements confirmed that three mutated scFvs, CWPa, CWPb, and CWPd, displayed 15-fold, 11-fold, and 7-fold higher affinities, respectively, compared with CWP2. Three-dimension modeling of CWPa illustrates a conformational change bringing all six complementary domain regions on the antibody surface in one direction. These results provide promising unique resistance molecules for effective control of FHB and its associated mycotoxins in food/feed chains.

In vivo expression and binding activity of scFv-RWAV, which recognizes the coat protein of tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (family Geminiviridae)

Recombinant antibodies expressed in plants have the potential to interrupt virus infections by blocking essential stages of the infection cycle. Here, we show that the expression of a recombinant single-chain variable fragment (scFv) that recognizes the coat protein of tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) in vitro can also bind to a recombinant coat protein in vivo in the reducing environment of the plant cytosol. The scFv and its target were both expressed as fluorescent protein fusions, one incorporating green fluorescent protein (GFP) and the other DsRed. We found that the incorporation of a nuclear localization signal into the scFv construct resulted in the nuclear import of the antibody-antigen complex, as shown by colocalization of the two fluorescent signals. This demonstrates that recombinant antibodies can be targeted to the nucleus and will bind to geminivirus coat proteins therein, allowing the virus infection cycle to be interrupted during its critical replicative phase.

Analysis of the autoproteolytic activity of the recombinant helper component proteinase from zucchini yellow mosaic virus

The multifunctional helper component proteinase (HC-Pro) of potyviruses contains an autoproteolytic function that, together with the protein 1 (P1) and NIa proteinase, processes the polyprotein into mature proteins. In this study, we analysed the autoproteolytic active domain of zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) HC-Pro. Several Escherichia coli-expressed MBP:HC-Pro:GFP mutants containing deletions or point mutations at either the N- or C-terminus of the HC-Pro protein were examined. Our results showed that amino acids essential for the proteolytic activity of ZYMV HC-Pro are distinct from those of the tobacco etch virus HC-Pro, although the amino acid sequences in the proteolytic active domain are conserved among potyviruses.

Expression of anti-sclerotinia scFv in transgenic Brassica napus enhances tolerance against stem rot

Canola is an important agricultural crop imparting a significant contribution to global oilseed production. As such, optimizing yield and quality is of paramount importance and canola production can be significantly affected by sclerotinia stem rot. The utility of recombinant antibody technology in plant protection has been explored by many researchers and shows promise for the generation of new lines of agriculturally significant crops with greater resistance to diseases. The objective of the current study was to generate recombinant pathogen specific antibody (scFv)-expressing transgenic Brassica napus plants with increased tolerance to the phytopathogenic fungus, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Transgenic canola (B. napus) lines expressing S. sclerotiorum-specific scFv antibody showed a significant level of tolerance towards S. sclerotiorum as compared to their non-transformed counterparts. Both incidence and progression of S. sclerotiorum-induced disease symptoms were reduced in plants expressing the recombinant scFv.

Transgenic expression in citrus of single-chain antibody fragments specific to Citrus tristeza virus confers virus resistance

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) causes one of the most destructive viral diseases of citrus worldwide. Generation of resistant citrus genotypes through genetic engineering could be a good alternative to control CTV. To study whether production of single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibodies in citrus could interfere and immunomodulate CTV infection, transgenic Mexican lime plants expressing two different scFv constructs, separately and simultaneously, were generated. These constructs derived from the well-referenced monoclonal antibodies 3DF1 and 3CA5, specific against CTV p25 major coat protein, whose mixture is able to detect all CTV isolates characterized so far. ScFv accumulation levels were low and could be readily detected just in four transgenic lines. Twelve homogeneous and vigorous lines were propagated and CTV-challenged by graft inoculation with an aggressive CTV strain. A clear protective effect was observed in most transgenic lines, which showed resistance in up to 40-60% of propagations. Besides, both a delay in symptom appearance and attenuation of symptom intensity were observed in infected transgenic plants compared with control plants. This effect was more evident in lines carrying the 3DF1scFv transgene, being probably related to the biological functions of the epitope recognized by this antibody. This is the first report describing successful protection against a pathogen in woody transgenic plants by ectopic expression of scFv recombinant antibodies.

PVY-resistant transgenic potato plants expressing an anti-NIa protein scFv antibody

A synthetic gene encoding a single chain Fv fragment of an antibody directed against the nuclear inclusion a (NIa) protein of potato virus Y (PVY) was used to transform two commercial potato cultivars (Claustar and BF15). The NIa protease forms the nuclear inclusion body A and acts as the major protease in the cleavage of the viral polyprotein into functional proteins. Immunoblot analysis showed that most of the resulting transgenic plants accumulate high levels of the transgenic protein. Furthermore, a majority of the selected transgenic lines showed an efficient and complete protection against the challenge virus after mechanical inoculation with PVYO strain. Two transgenic lines showed an incomplete resistance with delayed appearance of symptoms accompanied by low virus titers, whereas one line developed symptoms during the first days after inoculation but recovered rapidly, leading to a low virus accumulation rate. These results confirm that expression of scFv antibody is able to inhibit a crucial step in the virus multiplication, such as polyprotein cleavage is a powerful strategy for engineered virus resistance. It can lead to a complete resistance that was not obtained previously by expression of scFv directed against the viral coat protein.

Generation and characterization of a scFv against recombinant coat protein of the geminivirus tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus

We report the establishment of a hybridoma cell line secreting the monoclonal antibody (mAb) HAV, which recognizes the coat (AV1) protein of tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV), a begomovirus. The cell line was obtained following immunization of mice with purified recombinant AV1 fused to glutathione S-transferase (GST). A single-chain variable fragment (scFv-SAV) was assembled from hybridoma cDNA, but sequence analysis revealed a single nucleotide deletion causing a frame shift that resulted in a 21-residue N-terminal truncation. The missing nucleotide was restored by in vitro site-directed mutagenesis to create scFv-RWAV. The binding properties of mAb HAV and the corresponding scFvs were characterized by western blot, ELISA and surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy. MAb HAV bound to AV1 with nanomolar affinity but reacted neither with the N-terminal region of the protein nor with the GST fusion partner. This suggested that the antibody recognized a linear epitope in a region of the coat protein that is conserved among begomoviruses. Both scFvs retained the antigen specificity of mAb HAV, although the dissociation rate constant of scFv-RWAV was tenfold greater than that of scFv-SAV, showing the importance of restoring the 21 N-terminal amino acids.

Genetically engineered virus-resistant plants in developing countries: current status and future prospects

Plant viruses cause severe crop losses worldwide. Conventional control strategies, such as cultural methods and biocide applications against arthropod, nematode, and plasmodiophorid vectors, have limited success at mitigating the impact of plant viruses. Planting resistant cultivars is the most effective and economical way to control plant virus diseases. Natural sources of resistance have been exploited extensively to develop virus-resistant plants by conventional breeding. Non-conventional methods have also been used successfully to confer virus resistance by transferring primarily virus-derived genes, including viral coat protein, replicase, movement protein, defective interfering RNA, non-coding RNA sequences, and protease, into susceptible plants. Non-viral genes (R genes, microRNAs, ribosome-inactivating proteins, protease inhibitors, dsRNAse, RNA modifying enzymes, and scFvs) have also been used successfully to engineer resistance to viruses in plants. Very few genetically engineered (GE) virus resistant (VR) crops have been released for cultivation and none is available yet in developing countries. However, a number of economically important GEVR crops, transformed with viral genes are of great interest in developing countries. The major issues confronting the production and deregulation of GEVR crops in developing countries are primarily socio-economic and related to intellectual property rights, biosafety regulatory frameworks, expenditure to generate GE crops and opposition by non-governmental activists. Suggestions for satisfactory resolution of these factors, presumably leading to field tests and deregulation of GEVR crops in developing countries, are given.

A stable cytosolic expression of VH antibody fragment directed against PVY NIa protein in transgenic potato plant confers partial protection against the virus

The expression of recombinant antibodies in transgenic plants has been proved to be an efficient approach for large-scale production. However, the stability of these molecules and their accumulation level depend on their molecular properties and cellular targeting. The expression of single-domain antibody fragment (VH) can be advantageous since it offers small length, high expression, solubility and stability. It can therefore be preferred to other antibody derivatives avoiding the expression difficulties related to immunoglobulin domain folding via the formation of disulfide bridge. This report describes the production of transgenic potato plants expressing a VH antibody directed against the NIa protease of potato virus Y. The antibody was driven by the constitutive CaMV 35S RNA promoter. The expression cassette was transferred into potato plants via Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation. All transgenic lines showed detectable levels of VH protein confirming the efficient translation and stability of this protein. The cellular localisation of the VH antibody was investigated. Transgenic and control plants were transferred in the greenhouse and mechanically inoculated by PVY(o) suspension. Some of the transgenic lines showed delayed symptoms at the first period post inoculation and then displayed a recovery phenomenon while the virions were still detected in the leaves.

Recombinant-antibody-mediated resistance against Tomato yellow leaf curl virus in Nicotiana benthamiana

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) is a geminivirus species whose members cause severe crop losses in the tropics and subtropics. We report the expression of a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibody that protected Nicotiana benthamiana plants from a prevalent Iranian isolate of the virus (TYLCV-Ir). Two recombinant antibodies (scFv-ScRep1 and scFv-ScRep2) interacting with the multifunctional replication initiator protein (Rep) were obtained from phage display libraries and expressed in plants, both as stand-alone proteins and as N-terminal GFP fusions. Initial results indicated that both scFvs and both fusions accumulated to a detectable level in the cytosol and nucleus of plant cells. Transgenic plants challenged with TYLCV-Ir showed that the scFv-ScRep1, but more so the fusion proteins, were able to suppress TYLCV-Ir replication. These results show that expression of a scFv-ScRep1-GFP fusion protein can attenuate viral DNA replication and prevent the development of disease symptoms. The present article describes the first successful application of a recombinant antibody-mediated resistance approach against a plant DNA virus.

Leaf proteome analysis of transgenic plants expressing antiviral antibodies

The expression of exogenous antibodies in plant is an effective strategy to confer protection against viral infection or to produce molecules with pharmaceutical interest. However, the acceptance of the transgenic technology to obtain self-protecting plants depends on the assessment of their substantial equivalence compared to non-modified crops with an established history of safe use. In fact, the possibility exists that the introduction of transgenes in plants may alter expression of endogenous genes and/or normal production of metabolites. In this study, we investigated whether the expression in plant of recombinant antibodies directed against viral proteins may influence the host leaf proteome. Two transgenic plant models, generated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation, were analyzed for this purpose, namely, Lycopersicon esculentum cv. MicroTom and Nicotiana benthamiana, expressing recombinant antibodies against cucumber mosaic virus and tomato spotted wilt virus, respectively. To obtain a significant representation of plant proteomes, optimized extraction procedures have been devised for each plant species. The proteome repertoire of antibody-expressing and control plants was compared by 2-DE associated to DIGE technology. Among the 2000 spots detected within the gels, about 10 resulted differentially expressed in each transgenic model and were identified by MALDI-TOF PMF and muLC-ESI-IT-MS/MS procedures. Protein variations were restricted to a limited number of defined differences with an average ratio below 2.4. Most of the differentially expressed proteins were related to photosynthesis or defense function. The overall results suggest that the expression of recombinant antibodies in both systems does not significantly alter the leaf proteomic profile, contributing to assess the biosafety of resistant plants expressing antiviral antibodies.

Expressing a whitefly GroEL protein in Nicotiana benthamiana plants confers tolerance to tomato yellow leaf curl virus and cucumber mosaic virus, but not to grapevine virus A or tobacco mosaic virus

Transgenesis offers many ways to obtain virus-resistant plants. However, in most cases resistance is against a single virus or viral strain. We have taken a novel approach based on the ability of a whitefly endosymbiotic GroEL to bind viruses belonging to several genera, in vivo and in vitro. We have expressed the GroEL gene in Nicotiana benthamiana plants, postulating that upon virus inoculation, GroEL will bind to virions, thereby interfering with pathogenesis. The transgenic plants were inoculated with the begomovirus tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) and the cucumovirus cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), both of which interacted with GroEL in vitro, and with the trichovirus grapevine virus A (GVA) and the tobamovirus tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), which did not. While the transgenic plants inoculated with TYLCV and CMV presented a high level of tolerance, those inoculated with GVA and TMV were susceptible. The amounts of virus in tolerant transgenic plants was lower by three orders of magnitude than those in non-transgenic plants; in comparison, the amounts of virus in susceptible transgenic plants were similar to those in non-transgenic plants. Leaf extracts of the tolerant plants contained GroEL-virus complexes. Hence, tolerance was correlated with trapping of viruses in planta. This study demonstrated that multiple resistances to viruses belonging to several different taxonomic genera could be achieved. Moreover, it might be hypothesized that plants expressing GroEL will be tolerant to those viruses that bind to GroEL in vitro, such as members of the genera Begomovirus, Cucumovirus, Ilarvirus, Luteovirus, and Tospovirus.

Immunomodulation of plant function by in vitro selected single-chain Fv intrabodies

In this chapter, we discuss and compare the different concepts and examples as well as present the basic protocols for applying intrabody-based approaches in plants for the investigation of cell functions and plant cell-pathogen interactions. The immunomodulation strategy, a molecular technique that allows to interfere with cellular metabolism, signal transduction pathways, or pathogen infectivity, is based on the ectopic expression of genes encoding specific recombinant antibodies. This needs basic prerequisites to be successfully applied as resources and techniques to isolate specific recombinant antibodies with sufficient binding parameters to bind and to block even low-concentrated targets or to compete successfully with substrates and ligands. Also techniques and constructs to efficiently transform plants and to target recombinant antibodies to selected compartments are important requirements. Basic protocols for all these techniques are provided.

Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV)-specific antibodies confer GFLV and Arabis mosaic virus (ArMV) resistance in Nicotiana benthamiana

Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV) is one of the most destructive pathogens of grapevine. In this study, we generated monoclonal antibodies binding specifically to the coat protein of GFLV. Antibody FL(3), which bound most strongly to GFLV and showed cross-reactivity to Arabis mosaic virus (ArMV), was used to construct the single-chain antibody fragment scFvGFLVcp-55. To evaluate the potential of this single-chain variable fragment (scFv) to confer antibody-mediated virus resistance, transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana plants were generated in which the scFv accumulated in the cytosol. Recombinant protein levels of up to 0.1% total soluble protein were achieved. The T(1) and T(2) progenies conferred partial or complete protection against GFLV on challenge with the viral pathogen. The resistance to GFLV in transgenic plants was strictly related to scFvGFLVcp-55 accumulation levels, confirming that the antibody fragment was functional in planta and responsible for the GFLV resistance. In addition, transgenic plants conferring complete protection to GFLV showed substantially enhanced tolerance to ArMV. We demonstrate the first step towards the control of grapevine fanleaf degeneration, as scFvGFLVcp-55 could be an ideal candidate for mediating nepovirus resistance.

Antibody-mediated prevention of Fusarium mycotoxins in the field

Fusarium mycotoxins directly accumulated in grains during the infection of wheat and other cereal crops by Fusarium head blight (FHB) pathogens are detrimental to humans and domesticated animals. Prevention of the mycotoxins via the development of FHB-resistant varieties has been a challenge due to the scarcity of natural resistance against FHB pathogens. Various antibodies specific to Fusarium fungi and mycotoxins are widely used in immunoassays and antibody-mediated resistance in planta against Fusarium pathogens has been demonstrated. Antibodies fused to antifungal proteins have been shown to confer a very significantly enhanced Fusarium resistance in transgenic plants. Thus, antibody fusions hold great promise as an effective tool for the prevention of mycotoxin contaminations in cereal grains. This review highlights the utilization of protective antibodies derived from phage display to increase endogenous resistance of wheat to FHB pathogens and consequently to reduce mycotoxins in field. The role played by Fusarium-specific antibody in the resistance is also discussed.

Plantibody-mediated inhibition of the Potato leafroll virus P1 protein reduces virus accumulation

The P1 protein of Potato leafroll virus (PLRV) is thought to play a major role in the replication cycle by promoting the maturation of the genome-linked virion protein VPg. To study the relevance of P1 and its autoproteolytic derivative P1-C25 in the viral life cycle, the V H and V L domains of monoclonal antibody mAbP1-1, raised against the C-terminus of P1, were used to develop a single chain variable fragment antibody scFvP1-1 for expression in plants. The transient expression of scFvP1-1 in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) strongly reduced virus accumulation, while transgenic potato (Solanum tuberosum) plants expressing scFvP1-1 showed high levels of resistance following PLRV inoculation by viruliferous aphids. This is the first report that conclusively demonstrates that a PLRV gene product is essential for the completion of the virus life cycle in vivo without genetic alteration of the viral genome. This is also the first time plantibody-mediated resistance has been demonstrated with a luteovirus.

Engineering Fusarium head blight resistance in wheat by expression of a fusion protein containing a Fusarium-specific antibody and an antifungal peptide

Fusarium head blight (FHB) or scab of wheat is a devastating disease in warm and humid regions at wheat-flowering periods worldwide. Natural resistance against FHB pathogens is inadequate and the development of FHB-resistant wheat cultivars has been a challenge. Expression of pathogen-specific antibodies in plants has been proposed as a strategy for crop protection. In this study, an antibody fusion protein comprising a Fusarium-specific recombinant antibody derived from chicken and an antifungal peptide from Aspergillus giganteus was expressed in wheat as a method for protecting plants against FHB pathogens. Plants expressing the antibody fusion displayed a very significantly enhanced resistance in T2 and T3 generations upon single-floret inoculation with the macroconidia of Fusarium asiaticum, the predominant species causing FHB in China, indicating a type II resistance. Spraying inoculation further revealed an enhanced type I resistance in the transgenic wheat plants. Remarkably, more grains were produced in the transgenic plants than the nontransgenic controls. Our results demonstrated that the antibody fusion protein may be used as an effective tool for the protection of crops against FHB pathogens.

Generation and characterization of a recombinant antibody fragment that binds to the coat protein of grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3

Pathogen-specific recombinant antibodies have been used to characterize pathogen infections and to engineer resistance in crops. We selected a single-chain antibody fragment (scFvLR3cp-1) specific for the coat protein of grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3), one of the agents of grapevine leafroll (GLR) disease, from a phage display library. The antibody binds specifically to the entire length of GLRaV-3 particles and has a high binding affinity value (K(D)) of 42 nM. The amino acid motif AQEPPRQ located at the N terminus of the GLRaV-3 coat protein was identified as the antibody-binding epitope by PEPSCAN analysis. To evaluate scFv stability in the reducing environment of the plant cell cytosol, transient expression assays were performed using Nicotiana benthamiana as a model plant. Capture ELISA demonstrated that the scFv fragment was produced and retained its antigen-binding capacity in the plant cytosol. Further functional assays showed that scFvLR3cp-1 binds with high specificity to at least four members of the family Closteroviridae. Therefore, the GLRaV-3-specific scFv fragment could be an ideal candidate for mediating broad-spectrum virus resistance if produced in transgenic grapevine plants.

Humanization of a highly stable single-chain antibody by structure-based antigen-binding site grafting

The murine single-chain variable fragment F8 (scFv(F8)) is endowed with high intrinsic thermodynamic stability and can be functionally expressed in the reducing environment of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cytoplasm. The stability and intracellular functionality of this molecule can be ascribed mostly to its framework regions and are essentially independent of the specific sequence and structure of the supported antigen-binding site. Therefore, the scFv(F8) represents a suitable scaffold to construct stable scFv chimeric molecules against different antigens by in vitro evolution or antigen-binding site grafting. Thanks to the favourable pharmacokinetic properties associated to a high thermodynamic stability of antibody fragments, such scFv(F8) variants may be exploited for a wide range of biomedical applications, from in vivo diagnosis to therapy, as well as to interfere with the function of intracellular proteins and pathogens, and for functional genomics studies. However, the potential immunogenicity of the murine framework regions represents a limitation for their exploitation in therapeutic applications. To overcome this limitation, we humanized a derivative of the scFv(F8), the anti-lysozyme scFv(11E), which is endowed with even higher thermodynamic stability than the parent antibody. The humanization was carried out by substituting the framework residues differing from closely related V(H) and V(L) domains of human origin with their human counterparts. Site-directed mutagenesis generated the fully humanized product and four intermediate scFvs, which were analyzed for protein expression and antigen binding. We found that the substitution Tyr 90-->Phe in the V(H) domain dramatically reduced the bacterial expression of all mutants. The back-mutation of Phe H90 to Tyr led to the final humanized variant named scFv(H5)H90Tyr. This molecule comprises humanized V(H) and V(L) framework regions and is endowed with HEL-binding affinity, stability in human serum and functionality under reducing conditions comparable to the murine cognate antibody. Consequently, the humanized scFv(H5)H90Tyr represents a suitable scaffold onto which new specificities towards antigens of therapeutic interest can be engineered for biomedical applications.

Strategies for antiviral resistance in transgenic plants

Genetic engineering offers a means of incorporating new virus resistance traits into existing desirable plant cultivars. The initial attempts to create transgenes conferring virus resistance were based on the pathogen-derived resistance concept. The expression of the viral coat protein gene in transgenic plants was shown to induce protective effects similar to classical cross protection, and was therefore distinguished as 'coat-protein-mediated' protection. Since then, a large variety of viral sequences encoding structural and non-structural proteins were shown to confer resistance. Subsequently, non-coding viral RNA was shown to be a potential trigger for virus resistance in transgenic plants, which led to the discovery of a novel innate resistance in plants, RNA silencing. Apart from the majority of pathogen-derived resistance strategies, alternative strategies involving virus-specific antibodies have been successfully applied. In a separate section, efforts to combat viroids in transgenic plants are highlighted. In a final summarizing section, the potential risks involved in the introduction of transgenic crops and the specifics of the approaches used will be discussed.