title: Cell-to-cell movement of potato virus X is associated with a change in the size-exclusion limit of plasmodesmata in trichome cells of Nicotiana clevelandii.
abstract: To study the effect of cell-to-cell movement of potato virus X (PVX) on the size-exclusion limit of plasmodesmata we have microinjected virus particles and fluorescently labelled dextrans (F-dextrans) with average molecular mass of 4.4, 10, and 20 kDa into Nicotiana clevelandii trichome cells. A vector construct of PVX expressing GUS (PVX.GUS) moved from the injected cell and modified the plasmodesmata to allow passage of the 4.4- and 10-kDa F-dextrans but not the 20-kDa F-dextran. A mutant PVX with a deletion in the gene for the 25-kDa protein accumulated in inoculated protoplasts to the same level as the wild-type PVX. This mutant virus did not move from the injected cell and did not modify the plasmodesmata to allow passage of the 10-kDa F-dextran. However, the 4.4-kDa F-dextran moved from the cells infected with the mutant virus. These data therefore illustrate that movement of PVX is associated with modification of plasmodesmata. The full plasmodesmatal modification requires a functional 25-kDa protein but partial modification occurs when this protein is present in a mutant form.
authors.affiliation: Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich Research Park, Colney, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Angell
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Baulcombe
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D005966:Glucuronidase / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D010316:Particle Size; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D017863:Potexvirus / Q000502:physiology*; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000166:cytology / Q000821:virology*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014764:Viral Proteins; D005966:Glucuronidase