Papaya with novel traits and methods for producing such papaya plants

Abstract

The present application relates to papaya plants having increased resistance to the papaya ringspot virus as compared to a wild type plant due to a mutation in the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4e and/or eukaryotic translation initiation factor iso4e gene leading to non-functional eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4e and/or eukaryotic translation initiation factor iso4e proteins. Methods of producing such papaya plants having increased resistance to the papaya ringspot virus are described. Page 27 of 28

We claim,: 
     
         1 . An isolated mutated eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4e (eIF4e) and/or eukaryotic translation initiation factor iso4e gene (eIF(iso)4e) gene comprising a Guanine to Adenine substitution at position 2112 as compared to the wild type eIF4e and/or eIF(iso)4e gene. 
     
     
         2 . The gene according to  claim 1 , wherein the substitution encodes a non-functional eIF4e and/or eIF(iso)4e protein. 
     
     
         3 . The gene according to  claim 1 , wherein the mutated eIF4e gene comprises the nucleic acid set forth in SEQ ID NO:2. 
     
     
         4 . The gene according to  claim 1 , wherein the mRNA sequence of the mutated eIF4e gene comprises the nucleic acid set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5. 
     
     
         5 . The gene according to  claim 1 , wherein the mutated eIF4e gene encodes the amino acid set forth in SEQ ID NO:7. 
     
     
         6 . A plant or plant part comprising the mutated eIFe4 gene according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         7 . The plant or plant part according to  claim 6 , wherein the plant part is selected from the group consisting of cell, tissue, calli, flowers, seeds, roots, and stems. 
     
     
         8 . The plant or plant part according to  claim 5 , wherein the plant is papaya plant. 
     
     
         9 . The plant or plant part according to  claim 5 , wherein the plant part is a seed. 
     
     
         10 . A plant grown from the seed of  claim 9 . 
     
     
         11 . The plant according to  claim 9 , wherein the plant comprises mutated eIF4e gene eIF(iso)4e gene comprising a Guanine to Adenine substitution at position 2112 as compared to the wild type eIF4e and/or eIF(iso)4e gene. 
     
     
         12 . The plant according to  claim 9 , wherein the substitution encodes a non-functional eIF4e and/or eIF(iso)4e protein. 
     
     
         13 . The plant according to  claim 9 , wherein the mutated eIF4e gene comprises the nucleic acid set forth in SEQ ID NO:2. 
     
     
         14 . The plant according to  claim 9 , wherein the mRNA sequence of the mutated eIF4e gene comprises the nucleic acid set forth in SEQ ID NO:5. 
     
     
         15 . The plant according to  claim 9 , wherein the mutated eIF4e gene encodes the amino acid set forth in SEQ ID NO:7. 
     
     
         16 . A seed produced by the plant grown from the plant of  claim 10 . 
     
     
         17 . The seed according to  claim 16 , wherein the seed comprises a mutated eIF4e gene eIF(iso)4e gene comprising a Guanine to Adenine substitution at position 2112 as compared to the wild type eIF4e and/or eIF(iso)4e gene. 
     
     
         18 . The seed according to  claim 17 , wherein the mutated eIF4e gene comprises the nucleic acid set forth in SEQ ID NO:2. 
     
     
         19 . The seed according to  claim 17 , wherein the mRNA sequence of the mutated eIF4e gene comprises the nucleic acid set forth in SEQ ID NO:5. 
     
     
         20 . The seed according to  claim 17 , wherein the mutated eIF4e gene encodes the amino acid set forth in SEQ ID NO:7.