ENGINEERED RESISTANCE TO TOMATO SPOTTED WILT VIRUS IN TRANSGENIC PEANUT EXPRESSING THE VIRAL NUCLEOCAPSID GENE

The nucleocapsid gene of tomato spotted wilt virus Hawaiian L isolate in a sense orientation, and the GUS and NPTII marker genes, were intro duced into peanut (Arachis hypogaea cv. New Mexico Valencia A) using A grobacterium-mediated transformation. Modifications to a previously de fined transformation protocol reduced the time required for production of transformed peanut plants. Transgenes were stably integrated into the peanut genome and transmitted to progeny. RNA expression and produ ction of nucleocapsid protein in transgenic peanut were observed. Prog eny of transgenic peanut plants expressing the nucleocapsid gene showe d a 10- to IS-day delay in symptom development after mechanical inocul ations with the donor isolate of tomato spotted wilt virus. All transg enic plants were protected from systemic tomato spotted wilt virus inf ection. Inoculated non-transformed control plants and plants transform ed with a gene cassette not containing the nucleocapsid gene became sy stemically infected and displayed typical tomato spotted wilt virus sy mptoms. These results demonstrate that protection against tomato spott ed wilt virus can be achieved in transgenic peanut plants by expressio n of the sense RNA of the tomato spotted wilt virus nucleocapsid gene.