Maize streak virus-resistant transgenic maize: a first for Africa

doi:10.1111/j.1467-7652.2007.00279.x

If you are seeing this message, you may be experiencing temporary network problems. Please wait a few minutes and refresh the page. If the problem persists, you may wish to report it to your local Network Manager.

It is also possible that your web browser is not configured or not able to display style sheets. In this case, although the visual presentation will be degraded, the site should continue to be functional. We recommend using the latest version of Microsoft or Mozilla web browser to help minimise these problems.

Wiley InterScience

Plant Biotechnology Journal

Volume 5 Issue 6, Pages 759 - 767

Published Online: 15 Aug 2007

Plant Biotechnology Journal is published by Wiley-Blackwell in association with the Society for Experimental Biology (SEB) and the Association of Applied Biologists (AAB).

Go to Society Site

< Previous Abstract | Next Abstract >

Save Article to My Profile Download Citation Request Permissions

Maize streak virus-resistant transgenic maize: a first for Africa

Dionne N. Shepherd ^1,*, Tichaona Mangwende ^1,2 , Darren P. Martin ³ , Marion Bezuidenhout ¹ , Frederik J. Kloppers ⁴ , Charlene H. Carolissen ¹ , Adérito L. Monjane ¹ , Edward P. Rybicki ^1,3,† and Jennifer A. Thomson ^1,†

¹ Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
² Division of Pharmacology, University of Cape Town, Observatory 7925, South Africa
³ Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Observatory 7925, South Africa
⁴ PANNAR (PTY) Limited, PO Box 19, Greytown 3250, South Africa

* Correspondence (fax +27 (0) 21 650 2646; e-mail dionne.shepherd@uct.ac.za)

†J. A. Thomson and E. P. Rybicki contributed equally to this paper.

KEYWORDS

African biotechnology • geminivirus • maize streak virus • maize streak virus-resistant maize • maize yield improvement • pathogen-derived resistance • transgenic maize

ABSTRACT

In this article, we report transgene-derived resistance in maize to the severe pathogen maize streak virus (MSV). The mutated MSV replication-associated protein gene that was used to transform maize showed stable expression to the fourth generation. Transgenic T₂ and T₃ plants displayed a significant delay in symptom development, a decrease in symptom severity and higher survival rates than non-transgenic plants after MSV challenge, as did a transgenic hybrid made by crossing T₂ Hi-II with the widely grown, commercial, highly MSV-susceptible, white maize genotype WM3. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first maize to be developed with transgenic MSV resistance and the first all-African-produced genetically modified crop plant.

Received 27 March 2007; revised 28 June 2007; accepted 29 June 2007.

DIGITAL OBJECT IDENTIFIER (DOI)

10.1111/j.1467-7652.2007.00279.x About DOI