title: A pathogenicity determinant maps to the N-terminal coat protein region of the Pepino mosaic virus genome.
abstract: Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) poses a worldwide threat to the tomato industry. Considerable differences at the genetic level allow for the distinction of four main genotypic clusters; however, the basis of the phenotypic outcome is difficult to elucidate. This work reports the generation of wild-type PepMV infectious clones of both EU (mild) and CH2 (aggressive) genotypes, from which chimeric infectious clones were created. Phenotypic analysis in three solanaceous hosts, Nicotiana benthamiana, Datura stramonium and Solanum lycopersicum, indicated that a PepMV pathogenicity determinant mapped to the 3'-terminal region of the genome. Increased aggression was only observed in N. benthamiana, showing that this factor is host specific. The determinant was localized to amino acids 11-26 of the N-terminal coat protein (CP) region; this is the first report of this region functioning as a virulence factor in PepMV.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK.
authors.forename: Celia R A
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Duff-Farrier
authors.forename: Andy M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boonham
authors.forename: Gary D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Foster
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D016679:Genome, Viral; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009029:Mosaic Viruses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000821:virology; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D019657:Solanaceae / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins
keywords: Nicotiana benthamiana; Pepino mosaic virus; coat protein; infectious clone; pathogenicity determinant; potexvirus; yeast homologous recombination