In vitro synthesized RNA generated from cDNA clones of both genomic components of Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus replicates in cucumber protoplasts.
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Author
Owen, Carolyn
Moukarzel, Romy
Huang, Xiao
Kassem, Mona
Eliasco, Eleonora
Aranda, Miguel
Coutts, Robert H.A.
Livieratos, Ioannis
Attention
2299/18471
Abstract
Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV), a bipartite whitefly-transmitted virus, constitutes a major threat to commercial cucurbit production worldwide. Here, construction of full-length CYSDV RNA1 and RNA2 cDNA clones allowed the in vitro synthesis of RNA transcripts able to replicate in cucumber protoplasts. CYSDV RNA1 proved competent for replication; transcription of both polarities of the genomic RNA was detectable 24 h post inoculation. Hybridization of total RNA extracted from transfected protoplasts or from naturally CYSDV-infected cucurbits revealed high-level transcription of the p22 subgenomic RNA species. Replication of CYSDV RNA2 following co-transfection with RNA1 was also observed, with similar transcription kinetics. A CYSDV RNA2 cDNA clone (T3CM8Δ) comprising the 5'- and 3'-UTRs plus the 3'-terminal gene, generated a 2.8 kb RNA able to replicate to high levels in protoplasts in the presence of CYSDV RNA1. The clone T3CM8Δ will facilitate reverse genetics studies of CYSDV gene function and RNA replication determinants.