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.
Institut für Allgemeine Botanik, Angewandte Molekularbiologie der Pflanzen, Hamburg, Germany.
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D
Evans
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Jeske
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