Arabidopsis thaliana ecotype En-2 was previously shown to be resistant to cauliflower mosaic caulimovirus (CaMV) isolate CM4-184. In this study, En-2 plants were screened with eight other isolates of CaMV to identify viruses capable of overcoming resistance and to determine if the mechanism of resistance was the same for each virus. En-2 resistance to most CaMV isolates was mediated by the same mechanism, i.e., preventing virus long-distance movement. One CaMV isolate, NY8153, was found that produced a severe systemic infection on En-2 plants. In addition, the CM1841 isolate was able to spread systemically through En-2 plants, to a limited extent, without producing visible symptoms. These data indicate that the resistance shown by En-2 plants is not an all-or-none phenomenon. En-2 plants were susceptible to turnip mosaic potyvirus, suggesting that resistance is specific to CaMV.
