Abstract: The present invention is directed to a DNA construct formed from a fusion gene which includes a trait DNA molecule and a silencer DNA molecule. The trait DNA molecule has a length that is insufficient to impart a desired trait to plants transformed with the trait DNA molecule. The silencer DNA molecule is operatively coupled to the trait DNA molecule with the trait and silencer DNA molecules collectively having sufficient length to impart the trait to plants transformed with the DNA construct. Expression systems, host cells, plants, and plant seeds containing the DNA construct are disclosed. The present invention is also directed to imparting multiple traits to a plant.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a DNA construct comprising a first DNA molecule having a length insufficient to independently impart resistance to a virus to plants transformed with said first DNA molecule, wherein the first DNA molecule is from a viral coat protein gene and is at least 110 nucleotides in length. The construct also comprises a second DNA of at least 400 nucleotides in length, which is coupled to the first DNA molecule so that the first and second DNA molecules collectively achieve post-transcriptional silencing and impart resistance to the virus. Alternately, the DNA construct can comprise a plurality of DNA molecules each of which is at least 110 nucleotides in length and from a viral gene, wherein the plurality of DNA molecules are at least 510 nucleotides in length.

Abstract: The nucleotide sequences for tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) nucleocapsid is described, and transgenic plants containing the nucleocapsid nucleotide sequence from a TSMV isolate is shown to provide resistance in the transgenic plant to Tospoviruses from different serogrotips. In addition, transgenic plants containing the nucleocapsid nucleotide sequence from a lettuce isolate of TSWV were produced and shown to provide (in plants producing small amounts of the nucleocapsid protein) resistance in the transgenic plant to both homologous and closely related viral isolates whereas plants producing larger amounts of the nucleocapsid protein possessed moderate levels of protection against both the homologous isolate and isolates of distantly related Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a DNA construct formed from a fusion gene which includes a trait DNA molecule and a silencer DNA molecule. The trait DNA molecule has a length that is insufficient to impart a desired trait to plants transformed with the trait DNA molecule. The silencer DNA molecule is operatively coupled to the trait DNA molecule with the trait and silencer DNA molecules collectively having sufficient length to impart the trait to plants transformed with the DNA construct. Expression systems, host cells, plants, and plant seeds containing the DNA construct are disclosed. The present invention is also directed to imparting multiple traits to a plant.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a DNA construct comprising a first DNA molecule having a length insufficient to independently impart resistance to papaya ringspot virus to plants transformed with said first DNA molecule, wherein the first DNA molecule is from a DNA molecule encoding a papaya ringspot virus coat protein and is at least 110 nucleotides in length. The construct also comprises a second DNA of at least 400 nucleotides in length, which is coupled to the first DNA molecule so that the first and second DNA molecules collectively achieve post-transcriptional silencing and impart resistance to papaya ringspot virus. Alternately, the DNA construct can comprise a plurality of DNA molecules each of which is at least 110 nucleotides and at least one of which is from a DNA encoding a papaya ringspot viral coat protein and is insufficient in length to independently impart resistance to papaya ringspot virus to plants.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a DNA construct formed from a fusion gene which includes a trait DNA molecule and a silencer DNA molecule. The trait DNA molecule has a length that is insufficient to impart a desired trait to plants transformed with the trait DNA molecule. The silencer DNA molecule is operatively coupled to the trait DNA molecule with the trait and silencer DNA molecules collectively having sufficient length to impart the trait to plants transformed with the DNA construct. Expression systems, host cells, plants, and plant seeds containing the DNA construct are disclosed. The present invention is also directed to imparting multiple traits to a plant.

Abstract: The nucleotide sequences for tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) nucleocapsid is described, and transgenic plants containing the nucleocapsid nucicotide sequence from a TSWV isolate is shown to provide resistance in the transgenic plant to Tospoviruses from different serogroups. In addition, transgenic plants containing the nucleocapsid nucleotide sequence from a lettuce isolate of TSWV were produced and shown to provide (in plants producing small amounts of the nucleocapsid protein) resistance in the transgenic plant to both homologous and closely related viral isolates whereas plants producing larger amounts of the nucleocapsid protein possessed moderate levels of protection against both the homologous isolate and isolates of distantly related Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV).

Abstract: The invention relates to a transgenic grapevine or transgenic grapevine component transformed with a vir gene or an anti-pathogenic fragment thereof, wherein expression of the vir gene or the anti-pathogenic fragment thereof in the transgenic grapevine or transgenic grapevine component provides resistance to a plant bacterial pathogen (e.g., Agrobacterium vitis).