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The type-1 and type-2 ribosome-inactivating proteins from Iris confer transgenic tobacco plants local but not systemic protection against viruses

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Abstract

The antiviral activity of the type-2 ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) IRAb from Iris was analyzed by expressing IRAb in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Samsun NN) plants and challenging the transgenic plants with tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). Although constitutive expression of IRAb resulted in an aberrant phenotype, the plants were fertile. Transgenic tobacco lines expressing IRAb showed a dose-dependent enhanced resistance against TMV infection but the level of protection was markedly lower than in plants expressing IRIP, the type-1 RIP from Iris that closely resembles the A-chain of IRAb. To verify whether IRIP or IRAb can also confer systemic protection against viruses, transgenic RIP-expressing scions were grafted onto control rootstocks and leaves of the rootstocks challenged with tobacco etch virus (TEV). In spite of the strong local antiviral effect of IRIP and IRAb the RIPs could not provide systemic protection against TEV. Hence our results demonstrate that expression of the type-1 and type-2 RIPs from Iris confers tobacco plants local protection against two unrelated viruses. The antiviral activity of both RIPs was not accompanied by an induction of pathogenesis-related proteins. It is suggested that the observed antiviral activity of both Iris RIPs relies on their RNA N-glycohydrolase activity towards TMV RNA and plant rRNA.

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Abbreviations

GUS :

β-Glucuronidase

IRAb :

Iris agglutinin b

IRIP :

Iris type-1 RIP

PAG :

Polynucleotide:adenosine glycosylase

PAP :

Phytolacca americana antiviral protein

PR :

Pathogenesis-related

RIP :

Ribosome-inactivating protein

TCS :

Trichosanthin

TEV :

Tobacco etch virus

TMV :

Tobacco mosaic virus

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Acknowledgements

The TMV strain was a gift from Prof. M. Höfte (Laboratory of Phytopathology, Ghent University, Belgium). The plasmid pTEV7DA–GUS.HC, encoding the recombinant TEV–GUS strain, was a kind gift from Prof. V.V. Dolja (Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, USA). This work was supported in part by grants from the DG6 Ministerie voor Middenstand en Landbouw-Bestuur voor Onderzoek en Ontwikkeling. The work done in Bologna was partially supported by the University of Bologna, by Progetto Strategico Oncologia n.74 (DD 19Ric, 09/01/02) from Ministero Istruzione Università e Ricerca, Italy and by the Pallottis Legacy for Cancer Research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Gent, Belgium

    Willy J. Peumans & Els J.M. Van Damme

  2. Laboratory for Phytopathology and Plant Protection, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001, Leuven, Belgium

    Frank Vandenbussche & Stijn Desmyter

  3. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Minderbroedersstraat 10, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Paul Proost

  4. Dipartimento di Patologia sperimentale, Università di Bologna, Via S. Giacomo 14, 40126, Bologna, Italy

    Marialibera Ciani

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  1. Frank Vandenbussche
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  2. Willy J. Peumans
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  4. Paul Proost
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  6. Els J.M. Van Damme
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Correspondence to Els J.M. Van Damme.

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Vandenbussche, F., Peumans, W.J., Desmyter, S. et al. The type-1 and type-2 ribosome-inactivating proteins from Iris confer transgenic tobacco plants local but not systemic protection against viruses. Planta 220, 211–221 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-004-1334-2

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