ReDiRect - Broad spectrum antiviral resistance conferred by γ-class RDRs

Summary

RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RDRs) are key enzymes in defending plants from virus infection. In this thesis research, the anti-geminivirus resistance gene Ty-1, encoding an RDR of the γ class, was shown to additionally function against a completely distinct plant-infecting DNA virus. Furthermore, Ty-1 was shown to influence the expression of host genes, which changed upon geminivirus infection, but the function of these changes remains to be further investigated. Analyses of three γRDR encoding genes in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana provided first indications towards an antiviral role of AtRDR3 against geminiviruses. Altogether, the broad resistance spectrum of Ty-1, and presence of similar γ-RDR genes in a wide range of mono- and dicot (food crop) plant species provide opportunities for further exploration and exploitation of this class of genes in crop protection against a wide range of geminiviruses and other (DNA and/or RNA) viruses.