Scientists from Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences in China successfully
developed transgenic soybean lines with increased multiple virus resistance.
The results are published in Transgenic Research journal.



Xiangdong Yang and colleagues generated genetically modified (GM) soybean
lines constitutively expressing the double-strand RNA specific ribonuclease
gene PAC1 from Schizosaccharomyces pombe to assess their resistance
reactions to multiple soybean-infecting virus strains and isolates.



Evaluation of resistance for the span of three years showed that the GM
lines had significantly lower levels of disease severity under field
conditions and exposed to soybean mosaic virus (SMV) SC3 strain, compared to
non-GM lines.



Furthermore, exposure to four additional SMV strains and other viruses (bean
common mosaic virus, watermelon mosaic virus, and bean pod mottle virus),
the GM plants showed less severe symptoms and better resistance compared to
non-GM plants.



Based on the findings, PAC1 overexpression can improve multiple virus
resistance in soybean.



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