Serial passage of tobacco rattle virus under different selection conditions results in deletion of structural and nonstructural genes in RNA 2.

The RNA genome of tobacco rattle virus (TRV) is bipartite. RNA 2 of the nematode-transmissible TRV isolate PPK20 encodes the viral coat protein (cp) and proteins with molecular weights of 29,400 and 32,800 (29.4K and 32.8K proteins). When this isolate was serially passaged in tobacco by using phenol-extracted RNA as the inoculum in each transfer, defective interfering (DI) RNAs rapidly accumulated. A number of these DI RNAs were cloned. Six DI RNAs had single internal deletions in RNA 2 that removed most of the cp gene, the 29.4K gene, and the 5' half of the 32.8K gene. The borders of the deletions in these DI RNAs were found to be flanked in the genomic RNA 2 by short nucleotide repeats or sequences resembling the 5' end of TRV genomic and subgenomic RNAs. Two DI RNAs were found to be recombinants containing a 5' sequence derived from RNA 2 and a 3' sequence derived from RNA 1. When serial passage of TRV isolate PPK20 was carried out by using leaf homogenates as inocula in each transfer, accumulation of a DI RNA (designated D7) with a functional cp gene was observed. The deletion in D7 covered the 3' end of the cp gene, the 29.4K gene, and the 5' half of the 32.8K gene. An infectious cDNA clone of D7 RNA was made. In mixed infections, D7 RNA rapidly outcompeted RNA 2 but did not compete with RNA 1. The deletion in D7 RNA abolished the nematode transmissibility of the PPK20 isolate. These results may explain the observation that many laboratory isolates of tobraviruses have lost their nematode transmissibility and contain RNA 2 molecules of widely different lengths.     

The complete nucleotide sequence of PEBV RNA2 reveals the presence of a novel open reading frame and provides insights into the structure of tobraviral subgenomic promoters.

The 3374 nucleotide sequence of RNA2 from the British PEBV strain SP5 has been determined. The RNA includes three open reading frames flanked by 5' and 3' noncoding regions of 509 and 480 nucleotides. The open reading frames specify coat protein, a 29.6K product homologous to the 29.1K product of TRV(TCM) RNA2 and a 23K product not homologous to any previously described protein. The homology demonstrated between the coat proteins of PRV, TRV and PEBV indicates a common evolutionary origin for these proteins. Upstream of each ORF are located sequences homologous to those with which subgenomic RNAs of other tobraviruses start. Subgenomic RNAs for the expression of the three ORFs may start at these points. On all five tobraviral RNA2 molecules sequenced to date, these sequences were found upstream of the coat protein ORF in association with a strongly-conserved potential secondary structural element. Similar potential structures were identified upstream of other tobraviral ORFs. These structures may contribute to the activity of the tobraviral subgenomic promoter.     

Molecular characterisation of papaya ringspot potyvirus isolates from India

Papaya ringspot potyvirus (PRSV) causes major diseases of papaya and cucurbits in the Indian subcontinent. Based on biological properties, PRSV isolates are classified as either papaya infecting (P), or non-papaya infecting (W) types. To characterise the P and W isolates from India at the molecular level, c. 1.7 Kb of the 3′-terminal regions comprising a part of the nuclear inclusion b (Nib) gene, the complete capsid protein (CP) gene and the untranslated region (UTR) of both the P and W isolates were cloned and sequenced. Comparative sequence analyses showed that the 3′-UTRs in isolates P and W were 209 nucleotides in length excluding the poly (A) tail, and shared 96% identity. The CP genes of the two isolates were also similar, with 87% nucleotide identity and 93% amino acid identity. The amino acid differences between the CP genes were mostly confined to the amino terminus. The DAG triplet associated with aphid transmissibility was present in the CP of isolate W, but it was replaced by DAD in the P isolate. The partially sequenced Nib genes were also 90% identical, but isolate W contained an additional amino acid (threonine) just upstream of the cleavage site (Q/S) between Nib and CP. This is the first reported comparison of the molecular characterisation of PRSV-P and W isolates from the Indian subcontinent.     

香蕉束顶病毒基因克隆和序列分析

对香蕉束顶病毒（ＢＢＴＶ）中国分离株ＤＮＡ组份Ｉ（ＤＮＡ－１）、外壳蛋白（ＣＰ）和运转蛋白（ＭＰ）基因进行了克隆和序列分析。ＢＢＴＶＤＮＡ－１含有１１０３个核苷酸,与南太平洋和亚洲分离株分别有８７％－８８％ ９６．９－９８％的核苷酸序列同源性。由ＤＮＡ－１编码的复制酶含有１８６个在酸残基。与南太平洋和亚洲分离株分别有８４．４％－９５．８％和９７．６％、９８．０％的氨基酸序列同源性。外壳蛋白基因由５     

Sequence comparison of porcine respiratory coronavirus isolates reveals heterogeneity in the S, 3, and 3-1 genes.

Four new porcine respiratory coronavirus (PRCV) isolates were genetically characterized. Subgenomic mRNA patterns and the nucleotide sequences of the 5' ends of the S genes, the open reading frame (ORF) 3/3a genes, and the ORF 3-1/3b genes of these PRCV isolates were determined and compared with those of other PRCV and transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) isolates. The S, ORF 3/3a, and ORF 3-1/3b genes are under intense study because of their possible roles in determining tissue tropism and virulence. Northern (RNA) blot analysis of subgenomic mRNAs revealed that mRNA 2, which encodes for the S gene, of the PRCV isolates migrated faster than the mRNA 2 of TGEV. The PRCV isolates AR310 and LEPP produced eight subgenomic mRNA species, the same number as produced by the virulent Miller strain of TGEV. However, the PRCV isolates IA1894 and ISU-1 produced only seven subgenomic mRNA species. All four of the PRCV isolates were found to have a large in-frame deletion in the 5' end of the S gene; however, the size and location of the deletion varied. Analysis of the ORF 3/3a gene nucleotide sequences from the four PRCV isolates also showed a high degree of variability in this area. The ORF 3 gene of the PRCV isolates AR310 and LEPP was preceded by a CTAAAC leader RNA-binding site, and the ORF 3 gene was predicted to yield a protein of 72 amino acids, the same size as that of the virulent Miller strain of TGEV. The PRCV isolates AR310 and LEPP are the first PRCV isolates found to have an intact ORF 3 gene. The ORF 3a gene of the PRCV isolate IA1894 was preceded by a CTAAAC leader RNA-binding site and was predicted to yield a truncated protein of 54 amino acids due to a 23-nucleotide deletion. The CTAAAC leader RNA-binding site and ATG start codon of ORF 3 gene of the PRCV isolate ISU-1 were removed because of a 168-nucleotide deletion. Analysis of the ORF 3-1/3b gene nucleotide sequences from the four PRCV nucleotides isolates also showed variability.     

甘蔗花叶病毒3‘末端基因的克隆及外壳蛋白序列分析比较

选取我国SCMV优势株系A株系的分离物SCMV－CA为材料,经过病毒和病毒RNA的提纯,反转录获得病毒cDNA,并克隆到载体pUC19的SmaⅠ位点上,筛选得到多个重组质粒,选取其中一个克隆SCMV－CA54进行测序,得到一个全长为1296bp的苷酸序列,这段序列由一个长为1044bp的开放阅读框架（ORF）和一个长279bp的3‘末端非编码区序列（3‘-UTR)及poly（A）尾巴组成。这个ORF包括病毒完整的外壳蛋白（CP）及部分核内含体蛋白（b(NIb）基因序列,将所得序列同已知SCMV亚组中各株系分离物的核苷酸和氨基酸进行同源性比较,结果表明该序列与其它株系分离的CP核苷酸序列的同源性介于63.7％－77.6％之间,氨基酸的同源性介于64％－89％之间。根据马玲薯Y病毒属的序列同源性划分标准,SCMV－CA与其它株系或分离物的同源性关系均介于种与株系进分标准之间,这是我国首次报道SCMV CP基因序列。     

Sequence analysis of the Czech Potato mop-top virus (PMTV) isolate Korneta-Nemilkov

The nucleotide sequence was determined for Czech potato mop-top virus (PMTV) isolate Korneta-Nemilkov, found in the potato field situated in South Bohemia. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences were compared with other PMTV isolates available in databases. The sequence identity was always >99% when Czech isolate RNA 2 and RNA 3 sequences were compared with each of the 3 Danish isolates and with Sw isolate, and slightly lower when compared to Scottish isolates. Similarity of deduced proteins was 100% for 5 out of 6 proteins used in comparison of Czech isolate with Danish isolate 54-15. The only difference between 2 isolates was found in coat protein (CP) gene. Interestingly, the CP of the Czech isolate seems to be 100% identical to the one of Sw, while many changes were found in the region encoding TGBp2, TGBp3 and cysteine-rich protein (CRP) for these 2 isolates. The lowest similarity scores were found when comparing the Czech isolate CRP with CRP of Scottish isolates.     

Pea early browning virus RNA1 encodes four polypeptides including a putative zinc-finger protein.

We have determined the complete nucleotide sequence of RNA1 of the tobravirus pea early browning virus [PEBV] from an overlapping series of cDNA clones. The 7073 nucleotide sequence contains four open reading frames [ORFs]. The 5' proximal ORF encodes a 141K polypeptide, and readthrough of the opal [UGA] termination codon of this ORF would lead to the synthesis of a second, 201K polypeptide. Both of these polypeptides have extensive amino acid homology with the putative replicase proteins of tobacco rattle virus [TRV] and tobacco mosaic virus [TMV]. The third ORF encodes a 30K polypeptide which has homology with the TRV 29K and TMV 30K putative cell-to-cell spread proteins. The fourth, 3' proximal ORF encodes a 12K polypeptide which has extensive homology with the TRV 16K protein whose function is unknown. Examination of the amino acid sequences of the 12K and 16K gene products reveals in each the presence of two multiple-cysteine/histidine motifs, a finding which suggests that these proteins might have zinc and/or nucleic acid-binding properties.     

甘蔗花叶病毒3’末端基因的克隆及外壳蛋白序列分析比较

选取我国SCMV优势株系A株系的分离物SCMV-CA为材料,经过病毒和病毒RNA的提纯,反转录获得病毒cDNA,并克隆到载体pUC19的SmaI位点上,筛选得到多个重组质粒。选取其中一个克隆SCMV-CA54进行测序,得到一个全长为1296 bp的核苷酸序列。这段序列由一个长为1044 bp的开放阅读框架（ORF）和一个长279 bp的3’末端非编码区序列（3'-UTR）及poly(A)尾巴组成。这个ORF包括病毒完整的外壳蛋白（CP）及部分核内含体蛋白b（NIb）基因序列。将所得序列同已知SCMV亚组中各株系分离物的核苷酸和氨基酸进行同源性比较,结果表明该序列与其它株系分离物CP核苷酸序列的同源性介于63.7%～77.6%之间,氨基酸的同源性介于64%～89%之间。根据马铃薯Y病毒属的序列同源性划分标准,SCMV-CA与其它株系或分离物的同源性关系均介于种与株系划分标准之间。这是我国首次报道SCMVCP基因序列。     

我国水稻条纹病毒一个强致病性分离物的RNA4序列测定与分析

对我国水稻条纹病毒(Rice Stripe Virus,RSV)一个强致病性分离物(辽宁PJ分离物)的RNA4区段进行扩增、克隆和测序,其核苷酸序列全长2157bp。与已报道的日本T和M分离物及我国云南CX分离物的RNA4序列进行比较分析,结果表明,这4个分离物可分为两组,其中,PJ、T和M分离物为一组,组内分离物之间,RNA4的毒义链(vRNA4)及RNA4的毒义互补链(vcRNA4)上的ORF的核苷酸一致性分别为970%和970%～975%,5′末端和3′末端非编码区的序列则完全一致。但PJ分离物与T分离物的亲缘关系更为密切,其基因间隔区(IR)与T分离物的等长,核苷酸一致性为930%,比M分离物的IR多了一段长19bp的插入序列,核苷酸一致性仅为850%。另一组为我国CX分离物,组与组之间,vRNA4及vcRNA4上的ORF的核苷酸一致性分别为940%和925%～935%,但在氨基酸水平上则没有明显的差异。CX分离物的IR与PJ分离物相比有一段长84bp的插入序列,组间,IR的核苷酸一致性仅为720%～750%,5′末端非编码区的序列完全一致,但3′末端非编码区有两个碱基的差异。这些结果表明,RSV在自然界的分子变异与其地理分布具有密切的关系。此外,非编码区序列的高度保守性暗示着它们在病毒基因转录和复制的调控方面具有重要的功能。本文还讨论了RSV的分子流行学。     

Intra-farm diversity and evidence of genetic recombination of Citrus tristeza virus in Delhi region of India

Infection of Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) in different citrus orchards of New Delhi was detected by direct antigen coated-ELISA and RT-PCR. Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) orchards were found to be susceptible to CTV with estimated disease incidence up to 39%. Kagzi kalan (C. lemon), Pumello (C. paradisi) and Kinnow mandarin (C. reticulata) orchards did not show CTV infection. Three CTV isolates, D1, D7 and D15 randomly selected from infected sweet orange orchards were considered for biological and molecular characterization. In the host range study, all the Delhi isolates infected Darjeeling mandarin (C. reticulata), Kagzi lime (C. aurantifolia), sour orange (C. aurantium) and sweet orange but not Kinnow mandarin. A fragment of 5??ORF1a and complete coat protein (CP) gene of these three isolates were cloned, sequenced and compared with other Indian and international CTV isolates. Delhi isolates shared 85?C92% sequence identity for 5??ORF1a fragment and 89?C91% for CP gene among them. Phylogenetic analysis segregated three Delhi isolates into three genogroups for each of 5??ORF1a fragment and CP gene, however phylogenetic relationships for both the genomic regions was incongruent. Recombination detecting program RDP3 detected CTV isolate D7 as recombinant, indicating genetic variability in CTV isolates might be the outcome of recombination events between divergent CTV sequences. An attempt was made in present study to characterize CTV isolates biologically and at genetic level, and to determine genetic diversity at farm level and study the recombination of CTV isolates in Delhi region.     

Book Review

To study the variability and to identify the species of Begomovirus associated with yellow mosaic disease of blackgram in Andhra Pradesh, India, infected blackgram samples were collected from six districts belonging to three regions of Andhra Pradesh. The total DNA was isolated by modified CTAB method and amplified with coat protein gene-specific primers (RHA-F and AC abut) resulting in 900?bp gene product. The PCR products were cloned, sequenced and deposited in GenBank. The sequence analysis of six clones showed that the size of amplified CP gene of YMV was 920?bp. Based on nucleotide sequence identity of six isolates representing three regions of Andhra Pradesh, the isolates from Rayalaseema and Telangana region are the same variant of YMV (>99.5% identity) and isolate from coastal Andhra is another variant of YMV (>95.4%) when compared with other region isolates. Comparison of CP gene sequence of YMV-TPT isolate with 27 other isolates in database revealed more than 93.2 and 86.2% identity with MYMIV isolates and less than 80 and 64% identity with MYMY isolates that originate from Indian sub-continent and South-East Asia at nucleotide and amino acid level, respectively. Phylogenetic tree based on CP gene sequences of six isolates with other isolates from GenBank formed unique cluster with MYMIV. Hence the YMV infecting blackgram in Andhra Pradesh is caused by MYMIV rather than MYMY as reported in Tamil Nadu which is adjoining state in southern India.     

Molecular characterisation of the full-length genome of olive latent virus 1 isolated from tomato

Olive latent virus 1 (OLV-1) is a species of the Necrovirus genus. So far, it has been reported to infect olive, citrus tree and tulip. Here, we determined and analysed the complete genomic sequence of an isolate designated as CM1, which was collected from tomato plant in the Wielkopolska region of Poland and represents the prevalent isolate of OLV-1. The CM1 genome consists of monopartite single-stranded positive-sense RNA genome sized 3,699 nt with five open reading frames (ORFs) and small inter-cistronic regions. ORF1 encodes a polypeptide with a molecular weight of 23 kDa and the read-through (RT) of its amber stop codon results in ORF1 RT that encodes the virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. ORF2 and ORF3 encode two peptides, with 8 kDa and 6 kDa, respectively, which appear to be involved in cell-to-cell movement. ORF4 is located in the 3′ terminal and encodes a protein with 30 kDa identified as the viral coat protein (CP). The differences in CP region of four OLV-1 isolates whose sequences have been deposited in GenBank were observed. Nucleotide sequence identities of the CP of tomato CM1 isolate with those of olive, citrus and tulip isolates were 91.8%, 89.5% and 92.5%, respectively. In contrast to other OLV-1 isolates, CM1 induced necrotic spots on tomato plants and elicited necrotic local lesions on Nicotiana benthamiana, followed by systemic infection. This is the third complete genomic sequence of OLV-1 reported and the first one from tomato.     

从云南烟草上检测到的黄瓜花叶病毒亚组Ⅱ分离物*

在对云南省烟草病毒病的研究中,分离到一种直径约２６￣３０ｎｍ的球形病毒。提纯病毒进行的ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ发现一条５５ｋＤ蛋白带。５５ｋＤ蛋白Ｎ－端１０个氨基酸与ＣＭＶ亚组Ⅱ的Ｑ株系外壳蛋白Ｎ－氨基酸同源性为１００％。以ＣＭＶ－Ｑ抗血清对５５ｋＤ蛋白进行了Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎ ｂｌｏｔ检测,发现５５ｋＤ蛋白与ＣＭＶ Ｑ株系抗血清有血清学反应。根据已报道的ＣＭＶ亚组Ⅱ外壳蛋白基因序列合成引物,采用ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ     

Size heterogeneity in the 3' noncoding region of South American isolates of yellow fever virus

The 3' noncoding region (3' NCR) of flaviviruses contains secondary and tertiary structures essential for virus replication. Previous studies of yellow fever virus (YFV) and dengue virus have found that modifications to the 3' NCR are sometimes associated with attenuation in vertebrate and/or mosquito hosts. The 3' NCRs of 117 isolates of South American YFV have been examined, and major deletions and/or duplications of conserved RNA structures have been identified in several wild-type isolates. Nineteen isolates (designated YF-XL isolates) from Brazil, Trinidad, and Venezuela, dating from 1973 to 2001, exhibited a 216-nucleotide (nt) duplication, yielding a tandem repeat of conserved hairpin, stem-loop, dumbbell, and pseudoknot structures. YF-XL isolates were found exclusively within one subclade of South American genotype I YFV. One Brazilian isolate exhibited, in addition to the 216-nt duplication, a deletion of a 40-nt repeated hairpin (RYF) motif (YF-XL-DeltaRYF). To investigate the biological significance of these 3' NCR rearrangements, YF-XL-DeltaRYF and YF-XL isolates, as well as other South American YFV isolates, were evaluated for three phenotypes: growth kinetics in cell culture, neuroinvasiveness in suckling mice, and ability to replicate and produce disseminated infections in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. YF-XL-DeltaRYF and YF-XL isolates showed growth kinetics and neuroinvasive characteristics comparable to those of typical South American YFV isolates, and mosquito infectivity trials demonstrated that both types of 3' NCR variants were capable of replication and dissemination in a laboratory-adapted colony of A. aegypti.     

Nucleotide sequence of coat protein gene for GPV isolate of barley yellow dwarf virus and construction of expression plasmid for plant

GPV is a Chinese serotype isolate of barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) that has no reactionwith antiserum of MAV, PAV, SGV, RPV and RMV. The sequence of the coat protein (CP) of GPV isolate of BYDV was identified and its amino acid sequence was deduced. The coding region for the putative GPV CP is 603 bases nucleotides and encodes a Mr 22218 (22 ku) protein. The same as MAV, PAV and RPV, GPV contained a second ORF within the coat protein coding region. This protein of 17024 Mr (17 ku) is thought to correspond to the Virion protein genome linked (Vpg). Sequence comparisons of the CP coding region between the GPV isolate of BYDV and other isolates of BYDV have been done. The nucleotide and ammo acid sequence homology of GPV has a greater identity to the sequence of RPV than those of PAV and MAV. The GPV CP sequence shared 83.7% of nucleotide similarity and 77.5% of deduced amino add similarity, whereas that of the PAV and MAV shared 56.9%. 53.2% and 44.1%. 43.8% respectively. According to BYDV-GPV CP seque