苜蓿实夜蛾几丁质脱乙酰基酶基因

几丁质脱乙酰基酶（CDA）在昆虫几丁质代谢中具有重要作用。本研究以苜蓿实夜蛾5龄幼虫虫体为材料提取总RNA,利用RT-PCR和RACE技术,扩增得到该虫CDA基因的cDNA序列。该序列含有1 984个碱基,包括1个1 626个碱基的开放阅读框,编码一个含541个氨基酸的蛋白,分子量约为61.86 ku。克隆基因推导的氨基酸序列具有几丁质脱乙酰基酶典型的3个功能区,分别是几丁质结合区（47～103）,催化区（199～355）,低密度脂蛋白受体区（124～158）。序列比对表明,克隆的苜蓿实夜蛾CDA与其他昆虫的CDA在核苷酸和氨基酸水平上的一致性存在较大差异。苜蓿实夜蛾CDA的氨基酸序列与棉铃虫CDA（GQ411189）一致性达到98%,而与另外3种昆虫粉纹夜蛾CDA（AY966402）、蓓带夜蛾CDA（EU660852）和棉铃虫CDA（GQ411190＼GQ411191＼EF600051）氨基酸序列间的一致性只有36%~38%,属于两类CDA类群中的一类。基因的cDNA序列已经登录GenBank并获得登录号GU188855。     

甜菜夜蛾SeCDA8的基因克隆、蛋白表达及几丁质结合活性分析

几丁质脱乙酰酶（chitin deacetylase,CDA）能催化几丁质脱乙酰化产生壳聚糖,在几丁质降解过程中发挥着重要作用。本研究通过分析甜菜夜蛾（Spodopteraexigua）转录组得到编码甜菜夜蛾几丁质脱乙酰酶的全长CDS序列,命名为SeCDA8(GenBank登录号为OL689577),其开放阅读框为1158 bp,编码385个氨基酸。NCBI Blast和系统进化分析表明其属于肠道特异CDA蛋白,与斜纹夜蛾CDA相似度最高。成功构建原核重组表达载体pET30a-SeCDA8,转化大肠杆菌,经超声破碎后在沉淀中表达45 kD的重组蛋白。重组Se CDA8蛋白的几丁质结合活性分析结果显示,Se CDA8蛋白与再生几丁质的结合活性较高于胶体几丁质,但均较弱。q RT-PCR分析显示,Se CDA8在前肠和中肠前部高表达,推测其可能与围食膜形成有关。通过探究甜菜夜蛾几丁质脱乙酰酶Se CDA8蛋白的几丁质结合活性和组织定位,为更加深入地探究第Ⅴ类CDA的生理功能提供了重要的理论依据。     

黏虫体内两种微管蛋白基因cDNA序列的克隆与序列分析

以黏虫4龄幼虫为材料提取总RNA,利用RT-PCR和cDNA末端快速扩增技术(RACE),分别扩增得到该虫的α和β微管蛋白基因的cDNA序列各1条。其中α微管蛋白基因的cDNA序列1 443个碱基,包括一个1 353个碱基的开放阅读框,编码一个含450个氨基酸的蛋白,分子量约为50.0ku。氨基酸的142~148位存在一个微管蛋白标志信号片段GGGTGSG,在氨基酸序列的C-端有一个酪氨酸残基,N-端存在一个对转录后调控非常重要的保守区MRECI序列,以上特点与其他昆虫α微管蛋白氨基酸序列相同。黏虫β微管蛋白基因cDNA序列含1 906个碱基,开放读码框1 344个碱基,编码氨基酸447个,分子量约为50.2ku,等电点4.75。1~4个氨基酸MREI为β微管蛋白转录后调控信号,140~146GGGTGSG位同样存在一个微管蛋白标志信号片段。序列比对表明,克隆的α和β微管蛋白基因与其他昆虫的α和β微管蛋白基因在核苷酸和氨基酸水平上都是高度同源的,黏虫与家蚕(Bombyx mori)α微管蛋白的氨基酸序列同源性达到99.3%,与其他3种夜蛾科昆虫α微管蛋白的氨基酸序列同源性更是达到100%。黏虫与家蚕β微管蛋白的氨基酸序列同源性达到98.7%,与烟草天蛾β微管蛋白的氨基酸序列同源性达到99.6%。两个基因的cDNA序列已经登录GenBank并获得登录号分别为EU100016和EU234504。     

苜蓿夜蛾hsp90基因cDNA序列的克隆与表达研究

热休克蛋白(heat shock proteins,HSPs)是生物体适应外界不良环境条件的关键蛋白。热休克蛋白90(HSP90)是HSP家族的重要成员。本试验以苜蓿夜蛾为材料提取虫体总RNA,利用RT-PCR和RACE技术,扩增得到hsp90基因全长cDNA序列,命名为Hvhsp90(GenBank登录号KF636495)。该序列含有2 472个碱基,包括一个2 154个碱基的开放阅读框,编码一个含717个氨基酸的蛋白,分子量约为82.5ku,等电点为4.97,且含有5个标签序列及胞质特征序列MEEVD,推导的氨基酸序列与鳞翅目其他昆虫HSP90相似性85%~99%之间。RTPCR结果表明,该基因在苜蓿夜蛾不同发育时期和不同组织均有mRNA水平的特异性表达。该基因在大肠杆菌表达系统中进行了诱导表达,经SDS-PAGE和Western blot检测结果表明,HvHSP90能够高效表达,并与预测的融合蛋白分子量相符。     

棉铃虫表皮蛋白基因的克隆、序列及表达分析

昆虫表皮蛋白能帮助昆虫抵御外界不良环境,在昆虫的生长发育中起重要作用。基于棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera（Hübner）转录组数据信息克隆获得表皮蛋白基因的cDNA序列,通过Real-time PCR探讨棉铃虫各龄期和组织表皮蛋白的相对表达量。在棉铃虫体内得到HACPFL67 cDNA开放阅读框（KP072002）612 bp,命名为HACPFL67,编码204个氨基酸,分子量约为20.892 kDa,等电点7.275,序列包含有表皮蛋白的保守序列,与鳞翅目夜蛾科昆虫烟芽夜蛾Heliothis virescens和斜纹夜蛾Spodoptera litura等亲缘关系较近,与烟芽夜蛾氨基酸序列相似性高达83%。棉铃虫HACPFL67在不同发育阶段和组织中表达存在很大差异,其中4龄幼虫在各个发育阶段表达最高。综上所述,棉铃虫HACPFL67相对表达量在不同组织和发育时期存在一定差异。     

几丁质脱乙酰酶的生物学功能、三维结构及其抑制剂的研究进展

由于农用化学品存在靶标有限性和耐药性等问题,新靶标的开发成为农药研发的重中之重。几丁质是昆虫表皮和真菌细胞壁的主要组成成分,具有重要的生物学功能。几丁质脱乙酰酶(chitin deacetylase, CDA)可将几丁质脱乙酰化为壳聚糖,这一过程除了影响昆虫体壁和真菌细胞壁的形成外,还可调控昆虫的生长发育或决定病原菌的致病性。越来越多的研究表明,CDA有望成为新农药创制的候选靶标。本文介绍了CDA作为作物保护潜在靶标的研究进展,主要综述了当前不同来源CDA的生化功能、晶体结构、酶与底物的结合模式和以及近年来已报道的以CDA为靶标的抑制剂的研究进展,可为以几丁质脱乙酰酶为靶标的抑制剂的筛选以及新型农药的开发提供指导。     

暗黑鳃金龟几丁质脱乙酰酶HpCDA5基因的细胞表达及活性分析

cDNA文库免疫筛选到编码暗黑鳃金龟幼虫几丁质脱乙酰酶HpCDA5基因,序列分析表明HpCDA5含有1个几丁质脱乙酰酶结构域,属于Group V类CDA蛋白。构建重组杆状病毒表达载体pFastBac-HpCDA5,转染昆虫细胞sf9,Western blot分析表明HpCDA5在昆虫细胞sf9中成功表达42 kDa的蛋白。利用qRT-PCR方法分析HpCDA5基因组织表达,结果显示HpCDA5基因在中肠中表达最高,为中肠特异表达蛋白。几丁质结合活性表明HpCDA5蛋白只能被强洗脱剂洗脱,具有很强的几丁质结合活性。本研究通过对暗黑鳃金龟几丁质脱乙酰酶HpCDA5的生化特性研究,为进一步明确HpCDA5的生理功能提供理论依据,并为以HpCDA5蛋白为靶标的暗黑鳃金龟生物防治提供支撑。     

小地老虎2种不同类型肌动蛋白基因的克隆与序列分析

本研究以鳞翅目夜蛾科昆虫小地老虎［Agrotis ipsilon（Hüfnagel）］3龄幼虫整个虫体为材料提取总RNA,利用RT-PCR和cDNA末端快速扩增技术（RACE）,分别扩增得到2条肌动蛋白的cDNA序列Aiactin1和Aiactin2。GenBank数据库搜索及序列比对结果表明,克隆的2条肌动蛋白基因应属于2种不同类型的肌动蛋白,Aiactin1为肌肉特异型肌动蛋白,Aiactin2为细胞质特异型肌动蛋白。Aiactin1的cDNA序列含有1 469个碱基,Aiactin2的cDNA序列含有1 408个碱基。2条基因的cDNA序列均包括一个1 131个碱基的开放阅读框,编码一个含376个氨基酸的蛋白。Aiactin1肌动蛋白分子量约为41.77 ku,等电点5.22;Aiactin2肌动蛋白分子量约为41.83 ku,等电点5.47。Prosite软件分析结果表明,Aiactin1和Aiactin2肌动蛋白氨基酸序列中都存在3个肌动蛋白特征片段。2个基因的cDNA序列已经登录GenBank并获得登录号。     

棉铃虫Nanchung基因的全长cDNA克隆及序列分析

昆虫的Nanchtmg(Nan)基因是瞬时感受器电位香草素受体亚家族(transient receptor potential vanilloid,TRPV)通道蛋白的编码基因.有研究证实,Nan基因的缺失会造成昆虫听觉的完全丧失[1].目前,仅少数昆虫的Nan基因全序列被克隆[2-3].作者利用反转录-多聚酶链式反应(RT-PCR)和cDNA末端快速扩增技术(RACE)对棉铃虫Nan基因完整的cDNA进行了克隆、序列分析和同源性比较.     

亚洲玉米螟幼虫体内储存蛋白cDNA片段克隆与序列分析

为研究亚洲玉米螟Ostrinia furnacalis(Guen e)幼虫体内储存蛋白(SP)表达调控的分子机制,根据不同昆虫储存蛋白基因序列的保守区域,设计合成简并引物,采用RT-PCR技术从亚洲玉米螟5龄幼虫中扩增出一段cDNA片段,大小为892bp,编码297个氨基酸,预测分子量为35.7kD,理论等电点pI值为8.73。该基因序列中含有保守的幼虫储存蛋白(LSP)两个特征基序YFTEDIDLNTYYYYFHVDYP和TALRDPVFC。Blast P分析结果表明:该片段推导的氨基酸序列与斜纹夜蛾Spodoptera litura适量甲硫氨酸SP-1的一致性最高,为77%;与小菜蛾Plutella xylostella富含甲硫氨酸SP-1和SP-2、印度谷螟Plodia interpunctellaSP、美国白蛾Hyphantria cuneaSP-2和粉茎螟Sesamia nonagrioides适量甲硫氨酸SP氨基酸序列的一致性分别为74%、74%、72%、71%和65%。构建系统发育树分析了9种鳞翅目昆虫储存蛋白进化关系,结果显示:亚洲玉米螟cDNA片段氨基酸序列与小菜蛾富含甲硫氨酸SP-1的亲缘关系最近,与粉茎螟适量甲硫氨酸SP亲缘关系最远。     

Dermestid beetles in ‘evolution Canyon’, lower Nahal Oren, Mt. Carmel, including new records for Israel

Fifteen species of dermestid beetles were recorded at ‘Evolution Canyon’ (EC), Lower Nahal Oren, Mt. Carmel, Israel. They represent ~35% of known Israeli dermestid species. The following three species were recorded for the first time in Israel:Trogoderma svriaca Dalla Torre, 1911;Ctesias svriaca Ganglbauer, 1904; andAnthrenus (s.str.) jordaniens Pic, 1934. Adults of 13 species were collected on the more solar radiated, warmer and climatically more fluctuating south-facing slope (SFS); ten species were collected on the opposite, north-facing slope (NFS), which was cooler and climatically more stable. The abundance of adult dermestid beetles was 1.9 times higher on the SFS than on the NFS (86 and 47, respectively). Species richness and abundance distribution at EC (three collecting stations on each slope and one at the valley bottom) were significantly negatively correlated with the plant cover that consisted of trees and bushes (Spearmanr _s ,P=0.007 and 0.039, respectively) and perennials (Spearmanr _s ,P=0.039 and 0.077, respectively), indicating that non-woody plants were preferred by adult dermestid beetles.     

Epidemiology of Toxigenic Fungi and their Associated Mycotoxins for Some Mediterranean Crops

Recent data on the epidemiology of the common mycotoxigenic species of Fusarium, Alternaria, Aspergillus and Penicillium in infected or colonized plants, and in stored or processed plant products from the Mediterranean area are reviewed. Emphasis is placed on the toxigenicity of the causal fungal species and the natural occurrence of well known mycotoxins (aflatoxins, ochratoxins, fumonisins, trichothecenes, zearalenone, patulin, Alternaria-toxins and moniliformin), as well as some more recently described compounds (fusaproliferin, beauvericin) whose toxigenic potential is not yet well understood. Several Fusarium species reported from throughout the Mediterranean area are responsible of the formation of mycotoxins in infected plants and in plant products, including: Fusarium graminearum, F. culmorum, F. cerealis, F. avenaceum, F. sporotrichioides and F. poae, which produce deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, fusarenone, zearalenone, moniliformin, and T-2 toxin derivatives in wheat and other small grains affected by head blight or scab, and in maize affected by red ear rot. Moreover, strains of F. verticillioides, F. proliferatum, and F. subglutinans, that form fumonisins, beauvericin, fusaproliferin, and moniliformin, are commonly associated with maize affected by ear rot. Fumonisins, were also associated with Fusarium crown and root rot of asparagus and Fusarium endosepsis of figs, caused primarily by F. proliferatum. Toxigenic A. alternata strains and associated tenuazonic acid and alternariols were commonly found in black mould of tomato, black rot of olive and citrus, black point of small cereals, and black mould of several vegetables. Toxigenic strains of A. carbonarius and ochratoxin A were often found associated with black rot of grapes, whereas toxigenic strains of A. flavus and/or P. verrucosum, forming aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, respectively, were found in moulded plant products from small cereals, peanuts, figs, pea, oilseed rape, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pistachios, and almonds. Finally, toxigenic strains of P. expansum and patulin were frequently found in apple, pear and other fresh fruits affected by blue mould rot, as well as in derived juices and jams.     

A survey of the genera of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Microgaster</Emphasis> latreille and<Emphasis Type="Italic">Hygroplitis</Emphasis> thomson (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae) from China

The genera ofMicrogaster Latreille 1804 andHygroplitis Thomson 1895 from China are presented systematically in this paper. Thirty-two species ofMicrogaster and three species ofHygroplitis are known in China. Diagnosis, character variation, distribution and host of each species among the two genera are presented, including its host and distribution. Keys to the species ofMicrogaster andHygroplitis are given. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Dec. 19, 2006.     

Plant Viruses Transmitted by Whiteflies

One-hundred and fourteen virus species are transmitted by whiteflies (family Aleyrodidae). Bemisia tabaci transmits 111 of these species while Trialeurodes vaporariorum and T. abutilonia transmit three species each. B. tabaci and T. vaporariorum are present in the European–Mediterranean region, though the former is restricted in its distribution. Of the whitefly-transmitted virus species, 90% belong to the Begomovirus genus, 6% to the Crinivirus genus and the remaining 4% are in the Closterovirus, Ipomovirus or Carlavirus genera. Other named, whitefly-transmitted viruses that have not yet been ranked as species are also documented. The names, abbreviations and synonyms of the whitefly-transmitted viruses are presented in tabulated form together with details of their whitefly vectors, natural hosts and distribution. Entries are also annotated with references. Whitefly-transmitted viruses affecting plants in the European–Mediterranean region have been highlighted in the text.     

Broad bean mottle virus in Morocco; curculionid vectors,and natural occurrence in food legumes other than faba bean (Vicia faba)

Broad bean mottle virus (BBMV) was transmitted from infected to healthy faba-bean plants by the curculionid weevilsApion radiolus Kirby,Hypera variabilis Herbst,Pachytychius strumarius Gyll,Smicronyx cyaneus Gyll, andSitona lineatus L. The latter appeared to be an efficient vector: acquisition and inoculation occurred at the first bite, the rate of transmission was c. 41%, and virus retention lasted for at least seven days.S. lineatus transmitted the virus from faba bean to lentil and pea, but not to the three genotypes of chickpea tested. This is the first report on the generaHypera, Pachytychius, andSmicronyx as virus vectors, and onA. radiolus, H. variabilis, P. strumarius, andS. cyaneus as vectors of BBMV.Out of 351 samples of food legumes with symptoms suggestive of virus infection, 16, 11, 19, and 17% of the samples of chickpea, lentil, pea, and common bean, respectively, were found infected when tested for BBMV in DAS-ELISA. This is the first report on the natural occurrence of BBMV in chickpea, lentil, pea, and common bean. The virus should be regarded as a food-legume virus rather than a faba-bean virus solely, and is considered an actual threat to food legume improvement programmes.     

Characterization of potato potyvirus Y (PVY) isolates from seed potato batches. Situation of the NTN, Wilga and Z isolates

A collection of 38 PVY isolates from seed potato batches, originating from several Western European countries, was characterized by using current biological, serological and molecular tools differentiating PVY strains and groups. The correlation between the three kinds of tests was good but not absolute. No single serological or PCR method was able to discriminate among the five isolate groups found. Twenty-nine isolates belonged to the PVY^N strain and six to the PVY^O strain. No PVY^C was found. Two other isolates reacted serologically like PVY^O, but were unable to elicit a hypersensitive response from the Ny_tbr gene and probably represent the PVY^Z group. At the molecular level, these two isolates showed a combination of both PVY^O and PVY^N and could be recombinants of these strains. Another isolate reacted serologically like PVY^O, but induced vein necrosis in tobacco, like PVY^N-Wilga. Some PVY^N isolates caused tuber ring necrosis in glasshouse conditions. These might belong to the PVY^NTN group. The PVY^NTN, PVY^N-Wilga and PVY^Z groups probably represent pathotypes within strains PVY^N and PVY^O, respectively. The present study also confirms previous reports showing a high genetic variation at the 5 end within the PVYN strain.     

The autumn leafroller: Phenology,damage and parasitoids in a Dutch apple orchard

The phenology of the autumn leafroller,Syndemis musculana, a local pest of apple, was studied in order to forecast larval emergence. From 1983–1986, peak flight as determined with sexpheromone traps was always between 13–18 May. The duration of embryonic development was determined at various constant temperatures and used to estimate the periods of egg hatch in these four years. Each year, most eggs should have hatched in the second decade of June.Differences in attack rates between apple cultivars seem to be explained largely by the variation in picking time. Larvae are only half grown at the beginning of harvest (cv. James Grieve), and have gone into hibernation when the latest variety (cv. Golden Delicious) is picked. Moreover, the varieties Cox's Orange Pippin and Belle de Boskoop, picked about half time, are liable to receive additional damage by caterpillars brought with the picked fruits into storage.Various hymenopterous parasites were reared from caterpillars. As the only leafroller in the orchard which hibernates as mature larva,S. musculana may promote winter survival of some parasitoids, like the eulophidColpyclypeus florus.Samenvatting De fenologie van de herfstbladroller (Syndemis musculana Hübner), een incidentele plaag op appel, werd nader bepaald met het doel het uitkomen van de eieren te kunnen voorspellen. In 1983–1986 viel de piekvlucht, bepaald met behulp van feromoonvallen, steeds tussen 13 en 18 mei.De ontwikkelingsduur van de eieren bij verschillende constante temperaturen werd gebruikt om de periode van uitkomen te schatten. De meeste eieren zullen ieder jaar in de eerste helft van juni uitkomen.Geconstateerde verschillen in schade tussen appelrassen blijken goeddeels terug te voeren op verschillen in pluktijdstip. De rupsen van de herfstbladroller zijn pas half-was als de eerste appels eind augustus geplukt worden, terwijl tegen het einde van de oogst begin oktober de meeste al in winterslaap zijn. Met name tussentijdse rassen, als Cox's Orange Pippin and Schone van Boskoop, lopen extra schade op doordat grotere rupsen met de geplukte vruchten in de kist terecht komen.Uit de rupsen werden negen, al van andere boomgaardbladrollers bekende, sluipwespen gekweekt, Omdat deze bladrollersoort, als enige in de boomgaard, als volgroeide rups overwintert, lijkt zij bij uitstek geschikt als winterwaard.This study was carried out at the Experimental Orchard De Schuilenburg, Schuilenburg 3, 4041 BK Kesteren, the Netherlands, to which address correspondence should be addressed.     

Characterization of Sclerotinia minor populations in Texas peanut fields

In the summer of 2004 an epidemic of sclerotinia blight of peanut, a disease caused by Sclerotinia minor, occurred in Texas in fields where the disease was never previously detected. The disease was observed on many plants within one of the fields (>3000 disease foci), although most foci were <1 m. It is hypothesized that these observations were inconsistent with the recent introduction of a monocyclic pathogen, even if disease developed under conducive environmental conditions. The pattern of disease is most suggestive of the presence of foliar (ascospore) infections, although air temperature was above the known limits for apothecia development if the pathogen had arrived in the field in 2004 peanut seed. To further examine this epidemic, 232 isolates were collected, across a variety of spatial scales spanning this field and other Texas peanut fields, and evaluated for aggressiveness, fungicide sensitivity and genotypic diversity. There was wide variation among isolates for the phenotypic characteristics measured, but there was no evidence that a genotypically unique, highly aggressive, and fungicide resistant isolate had been introduced or evolved. The predominant genotype, TX1, which contained 154 isolates, was found in every county and field population.     

Eyespot of Cereals Revisited: ITS phylogeny Reveals New Species Relationships

Four species so far classified in Pseudocercosporella or Ramulispora (hyphomycetes) are associated with eyespot disease symptoms of cereals. Two of these have been linked to teleomorphs that were described in Tapesia. Sequence data derived from the Internal Transcribed Spacer region (ITS1, 5.8S and ITS2) of the rDNA operon showed, however, that the eyespot fungi associated with Tapesia are not congeneric with Ramulispora sorghi, the type of Ramulispora. The genus name Tapesia is now rejected in favour of the conserved name Mollisia, which appears to comprise heterogeneous fungi. Tapesia yallundae is not closely related to the type of Mollisia, M. cinerea, but clusters separately, being more closely allied to species with Cadophora anamorphs. A new holomorph genus, Oculimacula, is therefore proposed for teleomorphs of the eyespot fungi, while the anamorphs are accommodated in Helgardia gen. nov.     

Tumours of Begonia and some other ornamentals,induced by Corynebacterium fascians

In 1975 many tumours were observed in plants ofBegonia Schwabenland grown in Aalsmeer. Submersion of the roots ofNicotiana megalosiphon seedlings in a homogenate of tumorous tissue, induced tumours after two weeks. Short periods of submergence yielded results similar to those obtained after longer periods. Tumour homogenates lost their infectivity after ten min at 50°C. Aphids transmitted the infectious agent.Treatment with propylene oxide did not inhibit infectivity completely. Filtration through a 450 nm filter removed the infectious agent.Tobacco tumor virus or a viroid could not be isolated. Cultures ofCorynebacterium fascians, isolated from tumours ofN. megalosiphon were highly infectious and induced tumours in healthyN. megalosiphon andBegonia. Tumorous tissue homogenates ofPelargonium zonale, Dahlia sp.,Gladiolus sp., andLilium sp. also caused tumours inN. megalosiphon, from whichC. fascians was isolated. It was not possible to produce tumours inN. megalosiphon with homogenates from roses with symptoms of bud proliferation.Samenvatting In 1975 werden vele tumoren waargenomen inBegonia Schwabenland op Aalsmeerse bedrijven (Fig. 1). De infectiositeit van tumorweefsel kon goed en snel worden vastgesteld door de wortels van zaailingen vanNicotiana megalosiphon in een homogenaat van tumorweefsel te dompelen. Tumoren ontstonden na twee weken, de eindbeoordeling geschiedde na een maand (Fig. 2). Ook verschillende andereNicotiana spp.,Melilotus officinalis (Fig. 3) enPisum odoratum (Fig. 4) werden aangetast.Bij de infectiositeitstoets gaven zeer korte dompeltijden even goede resultaten als langere (Tabel 1). Infectieus sap verloor zijn infectievermogen na 10 min verhitting bij 50°C. Bladluizen brachten de smetstof over. Propyleenoxide verminderde de infectiositeit wel, doch onderdrukte deze niet totaal. Bij filtratie door een 450 nm filter bleef het infectieuse agens op het filter achter. Het tumor-inducerende agens was ook aanwezig in die delen van planten met tumoren welke gezond leken en het ging voor een gering deel over met zaad (Tabel 2).Uit tumoren konden wij geen tabakstumorvirus of een viroïde isoleren. Culturen vanCorynebacterium fascians, geïsoleerd uit tumoren vanN. megalosiphon bleken zeer infectieus en veroorzaakten tumoren inN. megalosiphon enBegonia. Homogenaten van tumorweefsel vanPelargonium zonale, dahlia (Fig. 5), gladiool (Fig. 6) enLilium Mid Century Hybrid Enchantment (Fig. 7) veroorzaakten ook tumoren opN. megalosiphon, waaruitC. fascians werd geïsoleerd. Met sap van kroeskopzieke rozen konden wijN. megalosiphon niet besmetten.