DNA B facilitates, but is not essential for, the spread of abutilon mosaic virus in agroinoculated Nicotiana benthamiana.
Full-length dimers of both DNA A and DNA B of Abutilon mosaic virus have been constructed. These constructs are not infectious when inoculated into Nicotiana benthamiana as DNA; however, an infection could be obtained using the method of agroinoculation. Symptom induction required both DNA molecules but agroinoculation with DNA A alone resulted in virus spread in the majority of plants. Mutations were made in both of the open reading frames of DNA B. Coagroinoculation of wild-type DNA A and mutant B showed that DNA B is necessary for a full infection and symptom induction. Furthermore, it was shown that mutations in DNA B inhibit the ability of DNA A to spread independently. A normal infection was obtained following coagroinoculation of both DNA B mutants and wild-type DNA A. PCR analysis of DNA extracted from these plants showed that the infection was brought about by complementation rather than recombination.
Evans
D
D
Institut für Allgemeine Botanik, Angewandte Molekularbiologie der Pflanzen, Hamburg, Germany.
Jeske
H
H
D001692:Biological Transport; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D009029:Mosaic Viruses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D016296:Mutagenesis; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000382:microbiology*; D014774:Virulence
D004279:DNA, Viral