Host-specific encapsidation of a defective RNA 3 of Cucumber mosaic virus

Defective (D) RNAs were generated in tobacco upon passage of two isolates of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) initially derived from RNA transcripts of cDNA clones. In both cases, the D RNA was derived by a single in-frame deletion of either 339 or 411 nt within the 3a gene of Fny-CMV RNA 3 or M-CMV RNA 3, respectively. The generation of D RNAs was rare and occurred with two CMV isolates, the virions of which were known to differ in physico-chemical properties. The Fny-CMV D RNA 3, designated D RNA 3-1, was maintained by passage together with Fny-CMV in tobacco, but was lost by passage in squash. D RNA 3-1 accumulated in the inoculated squash cotyledons but not in upper, systemically infected leaves. Virions purified from infected squash cotyledons or leaf mesophyll protoplasts did not contain D RNA 3-1. Therefore, the failure of D RNA 3-1 to accumulate in squash leaves systemically infected by CMV was due to a lack of encapsidation of the D RNA 3-1 and movement out of the inoculated leaves.