title: Detection of an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase in mitochondria from a mitovirus-infected isolate of the Dutch Elm disease fungus, Ophiostoma novo-ulmi.
abstract: RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) activity has been detected in mitochondria from an isolate of Ophiostoma novo-ulmi infected with O. novo-ulmi mitovirus 6 (OnuMV6). The reaction products corresponded to the double-stranded and single-stranded forms of OnuMV6 RNA. Western blot analysis using antibodies raised against a conserved RdRp region has detected a protein of ca. 80 kDa in OnuMV6-infected mitochondria, close to the predicted size of the OnuMV6 RdRp. No RdRp activity or protein was detected in mitochondria from an uninfected O. novo-ulmi isolate. This is the first detection of a virus RdRp in fungal mitochondria and the results are consistent with the use of UGA tryptophan codons in its synthesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Imperial College Road, London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Brasier
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Buck
mesh_terms: D001203:Ascomycota / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000821:virology*; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000032:analysis; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000032:analysis; D006378:Helper Viruses; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000821:virology; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D012331:RNA, Fungal / Q000032:analysis; D000077278:RNA, Mitochondrial; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D014197:Trees / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D012331:RNA, Fungal; D000077278:RNA, Mitochondrial; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012313:RNA; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase