Medical University of South Carolina

Vicki Bowman Vance

Gail J Pruss

William O Dawson

Laszlo Marton

Lewis Howard Bowman

Matthew W Endres

James Carrington

Compositions and methods are described which use RAV proteins and genes that encode such proteins to regulate RNA silencing in plant cells. Novel ntRAV proteins and genes are also described.

Endogenous regulator of RNA silencing in plants

The present invention provides a method for inducing or enhancing resistance in plants by supplying to the plant a virally encoded booster sequence comprising the 5&prime; proximal region of the potyvirus genome or by supplying other sequences encoding suppressors of gene silencing alone or in combination. Supplying the booster sequence to a plant, by means of stable transformation into the genome of the plant or introduced by expression from a plant viral expression vector, induces or enhances resistance in a plant against a broad range of pathogens, including viral, fungal and bacterial infectious agents.

Method for enhancing pathogen resistance in plants

Compositions and methods for modulating gene expression in plants are provided. The methods comprise the use of a gene silencer (amplicon) in combination with an enhancer sequence (suppressor of co-suppression). Amplicons comprise a targeting sequence corresponding to the gene of interest, the target gene. The amplicon will direct gene silencing against a sequence with homology to the targeting sequence, (the target sequence). The amplicon may optionally comprise a promoter and a sequence that corresponds to at least a part of a viral genome.

Enhancing expression of a silenced target sequence in plants using plant viral enhancers and amplicons

The present invention provides a method for enhancing the expression of genes in plants by supplying a virally encoded booster sequence comprising the 5' proximal region of the potyvirus genome to the plant. The booster sequence enhances the expression of foreign genes or endogenous plant genes in plants by employing any known methodology of expressing introduced genes in plants. The booster sequence may be used to enhance expression of any gene, including foreign genes or endogenous plant genes, introduced by means of stable transformation into the genome of the plant or introduced by expression from a plant viral expression vector.

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Columbia, SC, United States of America

Vicki Bowman Vance