Association of the inhibitor of virus replication with resistance mechanisms in pepper cultivars

The kinetics of accumulation of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and the S strain of pepper mild mottle virus (PMMV) in resistant and susceptible pepper cultivars was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Crude protein extracts from noninoculated leaves of the resistant cultivar significantly inhibited TMV replication in tobacco protoplasts. Inoculation with either TMV or PMMV-S caused a slight increase in its inhibitory potency. In contrast, protein extracts from either inoculated or noninoculated leaves of the susceptible cultivar did not inhibit TMV replication in tobacco protoplasts. The protein extracts from the resistant cultivar gave a positive reaction with antibodies against the tobacco inhibitor of virus replication (IVR) in western blotting. The putative role of this IVR-like protein from the resistant cultivar in resistance against TMV is discussed.