Development of gene construct of conserved rep gene from tomato leaf curl virus from natural host plant for resistance against tomato leaf curl virus

Gene construct for resistance against tomato leaf curl virus (ToLCV) using replicase (rep) gene sequences of Tomato leaf curl virus from natural host plant was developed. A binary vector carrying the antisense rep gene along with the npt II gene was used for development of truncated rep gene construct. The mechanism of resistance appears RNA-mediated, The concept of pathogen-derived resistance was introduced in plant virology based on the report that transgenic tobacco expressing tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) coat protein showed a resistance to TMV infection This type of resistance generally referred to as coat protein-mediated resistance, has been described for many virus/host systems, but is restricted to the virus closely related to the expression of functional or altered introduced viral replicase gene. Viral gene suppression involves a coordinated series of sub cellular events that ultimately lead to the post-transcriptional silencing of gene expression