Resistance to viruses and viroids in transgenic plants and animals expressing dsRNA-binding protein
First Claim
1. A method of providing resistance in a host from an infecting virus or viroid having a double-stranded RNA-like (dsRNA) structure, said method comprising the step of transforming said host with a recombinant DNA molecule comprising a gene encoding a dsRNA-binding protein, such that dsRNA binding protein is expressed in said host at a level sufficient to render said host resistant to infection by any virus or viroid having a dsRNA-like structure.
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Abstract
The invention provides a method for imparting resistance in animals to viruses, and in plants to viruses and viroids, that express double-stranded RNA-like structures (dsRNAs). This method enables the binding of pathogenic dsRNAs during the infection process by expression of dsRNA-binding protein in transgenic animal and plant hosts, thus interrupting the infection cycle and inhibiting disease. The presence of a dsRNA-binding protein in a transgenic host renders the transgenic host resistant to the phenotypic symptoms of viral infection and/or decreased pathogen replication. Accordingly, the present invention provides a genetically engineered animal and plant, stably transformed to express a dsRNA-binding protein, such that the transgenic host displays resistance to virus and/or viroid challenge.
17 Citations
41 Claims
- 1. A method of providing resistance in a host from an infecting virus or viroid having a double-stranded RNA-like (dsRNA) structure, said method comprising the step of transforming said host with a recombinant DNA molecule comprising a gene encoding a dsRNA-binding protein, such that dsRNA binding protein is expressed in said host at a level sufficient to render said host resistant to infection by any virus or viroid having a dsRNA-like structure.
- 19. A transgenic plant resistant from an infecting virus or a viroid having a dsRNA-like structure, said transgenic plant comprising a recombinant DNA molecule comprising a gene encoding a dsRNA-binding protein and expressing a dsRNA-binding protein at a level sufficient to render said transgenic plant resistant to infection from any virus or viroid having a dsRNA-like structure.
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24. A plant or progeny thereof which is resistant to any virus or viroid having a dsRNA-like structure and which is characterized as having a genome comprising a DNA copy of a gene encoding a dsRNA-binding protein.
- 25. A transgenic animal resistant to infection from any virus having a dsRNA-like structure, said transgenic animal comprising a recombinant DNA molecule comprising a gene encoding a dsRNA-binding protein and expressing a dsRNA-binding protein at a level sufficient to render said transgenic animal resistant to infection from any virus having a dsRNA-like structure.
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30. An animal or progeny thereof which is resistant to any virus having a dsRNA-like structure and which is characterized as having a genome comprising a DNA copy of a gene encoding a dsRNA-binding protein.
- 31. A method for providing to a human infected with a virus having a dsRNA-like structure with a dsRNA-binding protein, comprising the step of introducing into said human a human-compatible vector comprising a recombinant DNA molecule comprising a gene encoding a dsRNA-binding protein, such that a therapeutically effective amount of dsRNA-binding protein is expressed in said human.
- 36. A method of detecting in a host cell an infection from a virus or viroid having a dsRNA-like structure comprising the steps of (a) transforming said host cell with a recombinant nucleic acid molecule comprising a gene encoding a dsRNA-binding protein and (b) measuring the level of dsRNA in said host cell complexed to said dsRNA-binding protein expressed in said host cell, said measure of the level of dsRNA in said host cell being indicative of the level of infection from said virus or viroid.
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41. A recombinant virus comprising a deletion of a segment of the virus genome and an insertion of a nucleic acid segment comprising a sequence encoding a dsRNA-binding protein.
Specification