Infectious transcripts from cloned cDNA of potato leafroll luteovirus

Infectious transcripts play a key role in the research on plant viruses at the molecular level. A number of cDNA clones covering the whole genome of the Polish isolate of potato leafroll virus were constructed. Four overlapping clones were selected and assembled using restriction sites. The full copy was positioned between T7 RNA polymerase promoter and unique ScaI site. The full-length capped transcripts of the sequence of the viral genome synthesised in vitro were able to replicate in protoplasts and to produce the viral coat protein.