The present invention relates to a nucleic acid molecule encoding a mutant form of wild-type translation initiation factor eIF4E, which has an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, wherein the mutant form imparts resistance to Potato virus Y and has a mutation with respect to the wild-type amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 selected from the group consisting of: (1) any one or more of I70N, I70E, L82R, and D112N and (2) any one or more of L48F, S68K, A77D, and M109I. Nucleic acid constructs, expression vectors, cells, plants, and plant seeds containing the nucleic acid molecule of the present invention, are also disclosed, as are methods of imparting resistance to Potato virus Y to plants.
