Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) causes one of the most severe viral diseases in soybean ( Glycine max L.) and is known to contain many pathogenically and serologically related isolates. In the present study, the authors have obtained cDNAs to all cistrons of a Chinese SMV isolate, SMV_ZK, by RT_PCR. By analysing the nucleotide and amino acid sequence of the HC_PRO, NIb and CP cistrons, it was found that SMV_ZK was highly homologous to the G2 strain of SMV, thus confirming the existence of G2_like isolates in soybean crop in China. The amplified cDNAs were directly cloned into a bacterial expression vector. With the exception of the P3 cistron, expression of the cDNAs of all other cistrons in bacteria gave rise to polypeptides of expected molecular weight. The expressed viral proteins were subsequently purified by gel elution. The preparation of viral_specific cDNAs and gene products will be useful in future functional study of the SMV genome.
As a seed transmitted pathogen, pea seed_borne mosaic virus (PSbMV) not only replicates in embryonic cells but can also withstand seed desiccation. To understand the mechanism of PSbMV tolerance to seed desiccation, the authors compared the stability of viral coat protein (CP) and the distribution of viral particles in the cotyledon cells of pea (Pisum sativum L.) embryos collected before and after the dehydration process. Before dehydration, when the embryo was fresh and immature, degradation of CP was observed and a predominantly perinuclear distribution of viral particles in the cotyledon cells was evident. After dehydration, when the embryo was dry and mature, degradation of CP did not occur and the perinuclear viral distribution disappeared. Instead, aggregates containing PSbMV CP were found in the cytoplasm. Electron microscopy showed that these aggregates were composed of PSbMV particles. The formation of PSbMV particle aggregates is apparently triggered by seed dehydration and may be favorable to the virus survival in the desiccated embryonic cells.
