Cloning of the Arabidopsis RTM1 gene, which controls restriction of long-distance movement of tobacco etch virus

The locus RTM1 is necessary for restriction of long-distance movement of to bacco etch virus in Arabidopsis thaliana without causing a hypersensitive r esponse or inducing systemic acquired resistance. The RTM1 gene was isolate d by map-based cloning. The deduced gene product is similar to the alpha-ch ain of the Artocarpus integrifolia lectin, jacalin, and to several proteins that contain multiple repeats of a jacalin-like sequence. These proteins c omprise a family with members containing modular organizations of one or mo re jacalin repeat units and are implicated in defense against viruses, fung i, and insects.