title: Complete deletion of Wheat streak mosaic virus HC-Pro: a null mutant is viable for systemic infection.
abstract: A Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) genome lacking HC-Pro was constructed and confirmed by reverse transcription-PCR to systemically infect wheat, oat, and corn. Coupled in vitro transcription/translation reactions indicated that WSMV P1 proteinase cleaved the polyprotein at the P1/P3 junction of the HC-Pro null mutant. The WSMV HC-Pro null mutant was competent for virion formation, but the virus titer was reduced 4.5-fold relative to that of the wild type. Collectively, these results indicate that WSMV HC-Pro is dispensable for replication and movement, two essential processes that are disrupted by point and small-insertion mutations introduced into potyvirus HC-Pro.
authors.affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture--Agricultural Research Service and Department of Plant Pathology, 344 Keim Hall, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA. dstenger@unlnotes.unl.edu
authors.forename: Drake C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Stenger
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: French
authors.forename: Frederick E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Gildow
mesh_terms: D018554:Avena / Q000821:virology; D001483:Base Sequence; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005814:Genes, Viral; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000821:virology; D019176:Potyviridae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D014908:Triticum / Q000821:virology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000235:genetics; D003313:Zea mays / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; C072775:HC-Pro protein, potyvirus