Subgenomic components of tobacco rattle virus in infected tissue

Cells infected with the CAM strain of tobacco rattle virus (TRV) contain at least five species of virus-specific RNA in addition to the two genomic RNAs. These species were detected by hybridizing [(32)P]cDNA prepared to TRV RNAs-1 and -2 with electrophoretically separated infected cell RNA species immobilized on diazotized paper. The new viral RNA species have the following apparent molecular weights: RNA-3, 0.5 x 10(6); RNA-4, 0.22 x 10(6); RNA-5, 1.1 X 10(6); RNA-6,0.36 x 10(6); RNA-7, 0.16 x 10(6). RNA-5 is generated from RNA-1 since it hybridizes with RNA-1 cDNA but not with cDNA prepared to RNA-2. The rest hybridize with RNA-2 cDNA and thus are generated from the smaller genomic species.