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Some properties of the viroid inducing peach latent mosaic disease
R Flores1, C Hernández, J C Desvignes
1Instituto de Agroquímica y Technología de Alimentos (CSIC), Valencia, Spain.
Abstract:
Analysis by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of nucleic acid extracts from different peach samples, healthy or infected with the peach latent mosaic (PLM) disease, demonstrated the association of this disease with an RNA exhibiting the electrophoretic properties typical of circular viroid molecules. This RNA was called peach latent mosaic viroid (PLMV), since a purified preparation of it, when inoculated into GF 305 peach seedlings induced characteristic symptoms of PLM disease. PLMV was estimated to have a molecular size in the range of 330-340 bases, by comparison of its electrophoretic mobility under denaturing conditions with those of several viroid RNA. Dot-blot analysis showed that PLMV had a sequence clearly different from other viroids, including citrus exocortis viroid, apple scar skin viroid (ASSV), hop stunt viroid (HSV) and avocado sunblotch viroid. The possible significance of the limited sequence homology shared by PLMV with HSV, and especially with ASSV, is discussed.
Insights
Researchers identified a new viroid, peach latent mosaic viroid (PLMV), associated with peach latent mosaic (PLM) disease. This circular RNA molecule was characterized and found to be distinct from other known viroids.
Area of Science:
- Plant Pathology
- Virology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Peach latent mosaic (PLM) disease affects peach crops.
- The causal agent of PLM disease was previously uncharacterized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize the etiological agent of peach latent mosaic disease.
- To determine the molecular properties and sequence relatedness of the identified agent to other known viroids.
Main Methods:
- Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of nucleic acid extracts from infected peach samples.
- Inoculation of purified RNA preparations into GF 305 peach seedlings.
- Molecular size estimation using electrophoretic mobility.
- Dot-blot hybridization for sequence comparison with other viroids.
Main Results:
- An RNA molecule with characteristics of a circular viroid was identified and named peach latent mosaic viroid (PLMV).
- PLMV induced characteristic PLM disease symptoms upon inoculation into peach seedlings.
- PLMV has an estimated molecular size of 330-340 bases.
- Sequence analysis revealed PLMV is distinct from other viroids, with limited homology to hop stunt viroid (HSV) and apple scar skin viroid (ASSV).
Conclusions:
- PLMV is the causal agent of peach latent mosaic disease.
- PLMV represents a distinct viroid species.
- The sequence homology between PLMV, HSV, and ASSV warrants further investigation.