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Resistance

Transgenic Potato Virus Y Resistance in Potato: Evidence for an RNA-Mediated Cellular Response. Holly A. Smith, Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331-3804; Heather Powers(2), Sherri Swaney(3), Charles Brown(4), and William G. Dougherty(5). (2)(3)(5)Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331-3804; (5)the Center for Gene Research and Biotechnology, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331-3804; (4)USDA/Agricultural Research Service, Route 2, P.O. Box 2953A, Prosser, WA 99350-9687. Phytopathology 85:864-870. Accepted for publication 26 May 1995. This article is in the public domain and not copyrightable. It may be freely reprinted with customary crediting of the source. The American Phytopathological Society, 1995. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-85-864.

This study was undertaken to assess the potential of transgenic RNA-mediated virus resistance in potato. Transgenes that expressed various versions of the potato virus Y (PVY) coat protein (CP) open reading frame (ORF) were constructed and expressed in potato. Plants highly resistant to PVY infection could be generated by expressing transgenes from which either mRNA and CP or only an untranslatable mRNA were made. An inverse correlation between transgene transcript accumulation and virus resistance was often noted when translatable or untranslatable versions of the PVY CP ORF were expressed. The data suggest that virus resistance is likely mediated by a host cell response. A dominant negative phenotype resulting from the transgene product competing with the viral-encoded product is not supported by the data.