title: Direct RT-PCR method for detecting two chrysanthemum viroids using minimal amounts of plant tissue.
abstract: A direct reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method for detecting the chrysanthemum stunt viroid (CSVd) and chrysanthemum chlorotic mottle viroid (CChMVd) to screen for a viroid-free chrysanthemum plant at a small plant size was established and named microtissue direct RT-PCR. A razor or syringe needle was used for RNA template preparations. Under a stereoscopic microscope, a razor or syringe needle was used to pierce, a tissue sample to a depth of 0.1-0.2mm, and the sample was directly transferred to the RT mixtures. Methods using razors or needles for the preparation of templates could detect CSVd and CChMVd with a high sensitivity. The most sensitive method used a razor or syringe needle to acquire template from the shoot tips. Using the microtissue direct RT-PCR method, both viroids could be detected from the high- and low-viroid-concentration plants. The microtissue direct RT-PCR method was more sensitive than a conventional template preparation method. Using the microtissue direct RT-PCR method established in this study, the laborious subculture step could be omitted because detecting viroids and screening for viroid-free plants even at a small plant size before the subculture could be possible. In addition, the microtissue direct RT-PCR method could also be a powerful tool for clarifing the viroid distribution among microtissues, such as shoot apical meristems.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Vegetable and Ornamental Horticulture, Department of Agronomy and Horticultural Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan. mune@kais.kyoto-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hosokawa
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsushita
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yazawa
mesh_terms: D031202:Chrysanthemum / Q000821:virology*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000821:virology; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000821:virology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013594:Syringes; D013698:Templates, Genetic; D014772:Viroids / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral