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Identification of a retroviroid-like element from plants
1Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (UPV-CSIC), Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Spain.
Summary
Carnation small viroid-like RNA (CarSV RNA) is not infectious and exists as DNA tandem repeats in plants. This retroviroid-like element shares features with plant RNAs and newt transcripts.
Area of Science:
- * Molecular biology
- * Plant pathology
- * Virology
Background:
- * Carnation small viroid-like RNA (CarSV RNA) is a circular RNA molecule of 275 nucleotides.
- * It possesses self-cleaving hammerhead structures in both polarities.
- * Its biological nature and classification have been under investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To investigate the biological nature of CarSV RNA.
- * To determine if CarSV RNA belongs to the viroid or viroid-like satellite RNA groups.
- * To explore the relationship between CarSV RNA and DNA sequences in carnation plants.
Main Methods:
- * Transmission assays in carnation plants to assess infectivity.
- * Analysis of CarSV RNA existence as DNA tandem repeats.
- * Sequence and structural comparisons with newt RNAs and hammerhead structures.
- * Investigation of CarSV DNA integration with carnation etched ring caulimovirus DNA.
Main Results:
- * CarSV RNA demonstrated a lack of infectivity in transmission assays.
- * CarSV RNA was found to exist as DNA tandem repeats in carnation plants.
- * Similarities were observed in sequences and hammerhead structures between CarSV RNA and newt RNAs.
- * CarSV DNA was found fused to carnation etched ring caulimovirus DNA, likely as an extrachromosomal element.
Conclusions:
- * CarSV RNA does not fit the classification of viroid or viroid-like satellite RNAs.
- * The CarSV RNA/DNA system exhibits characteristics of a retroviroid-like element.
- * It shares properties with both plant viroids/satellite RNAs and newt transcripts.