Transgenic plants that express genes including the 3' untranslated region of the turnip yellow mosaic virus (TYMV) genome are partially protected against TYMV infection.

In order to evaluate new possibilities for protecting plants against virus infection by interference with viral replication, two chimeric genes were constructed in which the (+) strand 3'-terminal 100 nucleotides (nt) of the noncoding region of the turnip yellow mosaic virus (TYMV) genome were placed downstream from the sense or antisense cat coding region. The two chimeric genes were then introduced into the genome of rapeseed (Brassica napus) using an Agrobacterium rhizogenes vector system. Plants expressing high levels of either chimeric gene showed partial protection against infection by TYMV RNA or virions. One interesting feature of the protection is that a proportion of the inoculated transgenic plants does not become infected. Protection was overcome when the inoculum concentration was increased. RNA complementary to the initial transcript was detected after infection.