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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Plant Pathology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #406541
Research Project: Mitigation of Domestic, Exotic, and Emerging Diseases of Subtropical and Temperate Horticultural Crops

Location: Subtropical Plant Pathology Research

Title: Multigenic hairpin transgenes in tomato confer resistance to multiple orthotospoviruses including Sw5 resistance-breaking tomato spotted wilt virus

Author
item OLIVER, JONATHAN - Kansas State University
item ROTENBERG, DORITH - North Carolina State University
item AGOSTO-SHAW, KAROLYN - North Carolina State University
item MCINNES, HOLLY - North Carolina State University
item LAHRE, KIRSTEN - North Carolina State University
item MULOT, MICHAEL - North Carolina State University
item Adkins, Scott
item WHITFIELD, ANNA - North Carolina State University

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/26/2023
Publication Date: 4/22/2024
Citation: Oliver, J.E., Rotenberg, D., Agosto-Shaw, K., Mcinnes, H.A., Lahre, K.A., Mulot, M., Adkins, S.T., Whitfield, A.E. Multigenic hairpin transgenes in tomato confer resistance to multiple orthotospoviruses including Sw5 resistance-breaking tomato spotted wilt virus. Phytopathology. 114:1137-1149. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-07-23-0256-KC.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-07-23-0256-KC

Interpretive Summary: Tomato spotted wilt virus and related thrips-transmitted orthotospoviruses are important pathogens of food and ornamental crops worldwide. Genetic resistance is an effective management tool for these viruses but there are multiple examples of individual resistance genes being overcome. To develop broad-spectrum orthotospovirus resistance, conserved viral sequences were used to construct hairpin transgenes. Tomatoes expressing these transgenes were challenged by thrips and mechanical inoculations and were observed to be resistant to these viruses. These results demonstrate another means of developing durable resistance to plant viruses.

Technical Abstract: Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) and related thrips-borne orthotospoviruses pose threats to food and ornamental crop production worldwide. Orthotospoviruses undergo rapid genetic change by genome segment reassortment and mutation. Genetic resistance is an effective strategy for managing orthotospoviruses but there are multiple examples of resistance gene breakdown. Our goal was to develop effective multigenic, broad-spectrum resistance to TSWV and other orthotospoviruses. We made six hairpin transgenes from conserved sequences from all five orthotospovirus open reading frames. Tomato plants expressing hairpin transgenes were challenged with TSWV by thrips and leaf-rub inoculation and four constructs provided strong protection against TSWV. Similar results were observed following inoculation with a resistance-breaking TSWV isolate or tomato chlorotic spot virus, a related orthotospovirus. These results demonstrate that antiviral hairpin constructs are an effective way to protect plants from multiple orthotospoviruses.