Time course of alfalfa mosaic virus RNA and coat protein synthesis in cowpea protoplasts

Alfalfa mosaic virus temperature-sensitive mutants. II. Early functions encoded by RNAs 1 and 2

Mutants Bts 03 and Mts 04 of alfalfa mosaic virus (AIMV) have temperature-sensitive mutations in genomic RNAs 1 and 2, respectively. These mutants are defective in the production of viral minus-strand RNA, coat protein, and infectious virus when assayed in cowpea protoplasts at the nonpermissive temperature (30 degrees). To determine the temperature-sensitive step in the replication cycle, mutant-infected protoplasts were shifted from an incubation temperature of 25 degrees (permissive temperature) to 30 degrees at different times during a 24-hr incubation period. For both mutants an initial incubation of infected protoplasts for 6 hr at 25 degrees was sufficient to permit a normal minus-strand RNA synthesis, translation of RNA 4 into coat protein, and assembly of infectious virus during the subsequent incubation at the nonpermissive temperature. Probably, AIMV RNAs 1 and 2 encoded proteins are produced early in infection and the mutant proteins are protected from inactivation at 30 degrees once they are incorporated in a functional structure.

Double-stranded RNAs of cucumber mosaic virus and its satellite contain an unpaired terminal guanosine: implications for replication

Terminal sequences of the double-stranded (ds) forms of RNAs 3 and 4 and the satellite RNA (CARNA 5) of cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) have been determined. The ds forms of both CARNA 5 and RNA 3 contain an unpaired guanosine (G) at the 3' end of the minus (-) strand, a feature also present in the replicative forms (RFs) of several animal alphaviruses. The unpaired G present in the CMV-related ds RNAs suggests that these molecules represent RFs and that viral and satellite RNAs share common replicative machinery. The 3' terminus of the (-) strand of ds RNA 4 is heterogeneous, with and without the added G. The existence of these two ds RNA 4 molecules suggests that replication of the subgenomic RNA 4 proceeds through a mechanism different from that of the genomic RNAs. The plus (+) strands of the ds forms of RNAs 3 and 4 and CARNA 5 are uncapped at the 5' termini and all end with a 3'-terminal cytosine (C. The 3'-terminal adenosine (A) present on most single-stranded (ss), encapsidated, CMV RNAs 3 and 4 is therefore added post-transcriptionally, and a possible control function for such a 3' terminus is discussed. The lack of an added 3'-terminal A on ss, encapsidated, CARNA 5 could result in its high replicative efficiency through escape from such a control.

Nonstructural alfalfa mosaic virus RNA-coded proteins present in tobacco leaf tissue

The proteins synthesized under the direction of alfalfa mosaic virus RNAS in tobacco leaves have been examined under conditions of suppressed host protein synthesis. Besides the coat protein we could detect a 22K (K = apparent molecular weight in thousands), a 35K, and a set of 54K proteins. The 22K protein is serologically related to the coat protein. The 35K protein comigrated with the 35K protein whose synthesis is directed by RNA 3 in vitro The 54K proteins are serologically related to the 35K protein produced in vitro. Readthrough products of the 35K protein cistron into the coat protein cistron have been found previously in wheat germ extracts programmed with RNA 3. Two of these proteins comigrate with the 54K proteins synthesized in vivo. Since the 35K and the coat protein cistrons are read in different reading frames the formation of readthrough products is puzzling. In viruses with a tripartite genome the subgenomic mRNA for coat protein, RNA 4, is not known to be replicated as a separate genome entity. This might indicate that proteins synthesized by readthrough into the coat protein cistron play an essential role during replication, especially in the earliest phases.

Virus protein synthesis in alfalfa mosaic virus infected alfalfa protoplasts

Four proteins unique to virus infection were synthesized in alfalfa mosaic virus-infected alfalfa mesophyll protoplasts. These proteins, P1, P2, P3, and coat protein comigrated on electrophoresis with the major in vitro translation products of RNA 1, RNA 2, RNA 3, and RNA 4, respectively. P1, P3, and coat protein were observed at 5 hr post inoculation; P2 was detected at 9 hr post inoculation. The three nonstructural proteins accumulated most rapidly early in infection until about 15 hr post inoculation; stable protein levels were maintained thereafter. Coat protein accumulated rapidly until about 20 hr after inoculation. All four virus RNA species were detected in infected protoplasts by labelling with [3H]uridine. Ultraviolet irradiation of protoplasts prior to inoculation was necessary for virus protein detection, but it severely depressed the synthesis of RNA 1 and RNA 2 relative to RNA 3 and RNA 4.

Deletion analysis of cis- and trans-acting elements involved in replication of alfalfa mosaic virus RNA 3 in vivo

DNA copies of alfalfa mosaic virus (AIMV) RNA 3 were transcribed in vitro into RNA molecules with deletions in coding and noncoding sequences. The replication of these transcripts was studied in protoplasts from transgenic tobacco plants expressing DNA copies of AIMV RNAs 1 and 2. Deletions in the 5'-proximal P3 gene, encoding the putative viral transport function, did not affect replication whereas deletions in the 3'-proximal coat protein gene reduced replication of RNA 3 by about 100-fold. Sequences required for the synthesis in protoplasts of RNA 4, the coat protein messenger, were more extensive than the subgenomic promoter characterized previously in an in vitro replicase assay. At the 5'-end of RNA 3 a sequence of 169 nucleotides was sufficient for replication whereas a sequence of 112 nucleotides was not. 3'-Terminal deletions up to 133 nucleotides reduced replication to a low but significant level. Further 3'-deletions abolished replication.

Plant-virus-based vectors for gene transfer will be of limited use because of the high error frequency during viral RNA synthesis

The error frequency during the RNA replication of alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) was calculated to be significantly higher than 10(-5). It may be expected that RNA synthesis in general will have low fidelity compared to DNA synthesis. The low fidelity of RNA replication will severely restrict the usefulness of vectors for genetic engineering which are based on RNA viruses, viroids or DNA viruses which are replicated via an RNA intermediate (e.g. caulimoviruses). Spontaneous mutants selected by host shift were found to be much less stable than UV-induced mutants. This difference points to variations in fidelity during RNA synthesis, probably due to the local sequence of the template.

Sindbis virus proteins nsP1 and nsP2 contain homology to nonstructural proteins from several RNA plant viruses

Although the genetic organization of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) differs considerably from that of the tripartite viruses (alfalfa mosaic virus [AlMV] and brome mosaic virus [BMV]), all of these RNA plant viruses share three domains of homology among their nonstructural proteins. One such domain, common to the AlMV and BMV 2a proteins and the readthrough portion of TMV p183, is also homologous to the readthrough protein nsP4 of Sindbis virus (Haseloff et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 81:4358-4362, 1984). Two more domains are conserved among the AlMV and BMV 1a proteins and TMV p126. We show here that these domains have homology with portions of the Sindbis proteins nsP1 and nsP2, respectively. These results strengthen the view that the four viruses share mechanistic similarities in their replication strategies and may be evolutionarily related. These results also suggest that either the AlMV 1a, BMV 1a, and TMV p126 proteins are multifunctional or Sindbis proteins nsP1 and nsP2 function together as subunits in a single complex.

Replication of peanut stunt virus and its associated RNA 5 in cowpea protoplasts

Peanut stunt virus (PSV) RNA containing PSV-associated RNA 5 (PARNA 5) was used as the inoculum in the successful infection of cowpea protoplasts. Total nucleic acid extracts of protoplast samples at different times after inoculation were analyzed for the presence of PSV genomic RNAs and PARNA 5 using glyoxal denaturation, agarose gel electrophoresis, blotting to nitrocellulose, and hybridization to specific probes. It appears that (+)-stranded PSV genomic RNAs are synthesized up to 36 hr after inoculation after which their synthesis levels off, whereas PARNA 5 synthesis continues much later during infection. Oligomers of PARNA 5 were found in the infected protoplasts, in double-stranded RNA preparations from PSV-infected tissues, and in single-stranded PSV-RNA preparations isolated from purified virus. However, we were unable to demonstrate the presence of circular PARNA 5 molecules in infected protoplasts or tissues. These results leave open the question whether PARNA 5 is replicated via a rolling circle type replication mechanism, as proposed for viroids and tobacco ringspot virus satellite, or via a virus-like replication mechanism, as certain structural features of PARNA 5 would indicate. It is not impossible that both types of mechanisms are operative at different phases of PARNA 5 replication.

Competition between the RNA 3 molecules of wildtype alfalfa mosaic virus and the temperature-sensitive mutant Tbts 7(uv)

In mixed infections of wildtype (wt) alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) and a temperature-sensitive mutant Tbts 7(uv), which carries a thermosensitive defect in the early function of the coat protein, the mutant symptoms were not found at 30°C. In the progeny from these mixed infections almost no mutant coat protein and no mutant RNA 3 could be detected. Even at 23°C there was some loss of mutant RNA 3 and coat protein from the progeny of the mixed infections. Analysis and comparison of mutant and wt ds RNA preparations revealed a lower ds RNA 3 content for the mutant preparation at 23°C. Also the amount of RNA 3 in virion preparations was lower for the mutant than for wt. These results point to a mutation in the RNA 3 of Tbts 7(uv) which diminishes its affinity for the viral replicase.

Inhibition of alfalfa mosaic virus RNA and protein synthesis by actinomycin D and cycloheximide

Actinomycin D, added early after inoculation, reduces the production of infectious alfalfa mosaic virus in cowpea protoplasts by 90%. This reduction was associated with an inhibition of viral minus-strand and plus-strand RNA synthesis, suggesting the involvement of host factors in these processes. Coat protein production was less affected by the drug. Addition of cycloheximide throughout the growth cycle resulted in an immediate cessation of coat protein production and an enhanced degradation of viral RNA. This degradation obscured possible effects of the drug on viral RNA synthesis.

An alfalfa mosaic virus RNA 2 mutant, which does not induce a hypersensitive reaction in cowpea plants, is multiplied to a high concentration in cowpea protoplasts

A mutant of alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), which in contrast to wild type (wt) can invade cowpea plants systemically, is replicated more efficiently in cowpea protoplasts than the wt. Mutant preparations isolated from infected cowpea protoplasts contained a higher amount of middle component (M, containing RNA 2) than wt preparations. Both in cowpea plants and in cowpea protoplasts a wt phenotype is obtained upon addition of wt M to this mutant, suggesting a correlation between the type of plant reaction evoked by the virus infection and the regulation of viral RNA synthesis.