Double-stranded viral RNA content in tobacco leaves infected with virulent-and avirulent isolates of tomato mosaic virus.
The changes in double-stranded RNA content in tobacco leaves inoculated with tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) and its avirulent mutant N14 were compared by [3H]uridine incorporation and resistance to RNase. It was found that the content of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in leaves infected with N14 was higher than in those infected with ToMV. At the second day after inoculation, the percentage of dsRNA resistant to RNase in leaves inoculated with N14 was 58.4%; in those with ToMV it was 42.8%. Subsequently the ToMV-dsRNA rapidly declined to 10.4-18.5%, but N14-dsRNA remained at higher levels, from 25.5 to 36.6%. The possible role that a higher content of dsRNA might play in expressing virulence of single-stranded RNA viruses is discussed.
Kang
L Y
LY
Department of Virology, Institute of Microbiology, Academia Sinica, Beijing, China.
Yang
X C
XC
Tien
P
P