Two Circular Single-stranded DNAs Associated with Banana Bunchy Top Virus

Nucleic acids extracted from partially purified banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) consisted of 20 Kb DNA, 0.9-1.1 Kb DNA and 0.3 Kb RNA. Partially purified BBTV preparations predigested with DNase and RNase before particle disruption and nucleic acid isolation yielded only the 0.9-1.1 Kb DNA, but no corresponding nucleic acid band was obtained in total nucleic acid isolated from healthy banana tissue. Analysis of two BBTV cDNA clones showed that clone 1 consisted of 287 nucleotides and clone 2 contained a 1.0 Kb DNA insert. Clone 1 is not part of clone 2. When two pairs of primers, each pair in opposite orientation were used to amplify BBTV DNA by PCR using the total DNA from diseased banana tissues or DNA encapsidated in BBTV particle as the template, a DNA product of 1.1 Kb was generated by both, results indicating that the BBTV DNAs are circular. Additional results suggested that BBTV contained at least two circular ssDNAs designated BBTV essDNA I (containing clone 1 nucleotide sequence) and BBTV, cssDNA II (containing clone 2 nucleotide sequence).