Variant dsRNAs associated with transmission-defective isolates of wound tumor virus represent terminally conserved remnants of genome segments.
Variant double-stranded RNAs are often associated with the genome of transmission-defective isolates of wound tumor virus. These RNAs are replicated and packaged into virus particles in systemically infected plants and are transcribed in vitro by the virion-associated transcriptase. Direct physical evidence that the variant RNAs are remnants of particular WTV genome segments was provided by molecular hybridization studies. Subsequently, ribonuclease T1 digestion products of 3'-end-labeled genome and remnant RNAs were analyzed by one- and two-dimensional electrophoretic techniques. One-dimensional partial and complete digestion patterns were indistinguishable, indicating that the guanosine positions relative to the 3' terminus of the corresponding strands of a particular genome segment and its remnant RNA are the same for at least 40 nucleotides from each end. Fingerprints of the 3' terminal ribonuclease T1-resistant fragments were identical, showing that the nucleotide composition of the 3' terminal ends of the corresponding strands of a particular genome segment and its remnant RNA are also identical. These results indicate that variant RNAs associated with transmission-defective WTV isolates are formed by deletion of an internal portion (as much as 85%) of genomic RNA segments yielding terminally conserved genomic remnants that are functional with respect to transcription, replication, and packaging.
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D003673:Defective Viruses / Q000235:genetics*; D005814:Genes, Viral; D014644:Genetic Variation; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000235:genetics*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D012087:Reoviridae / Q000235:genetics*
D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D012367:RNA, Viral