Some coat protein constituents from strawberry latent ringspot virus expressed in transgenic tobacco protect plants against systematic invasion following root inoculation by nematode vectors

The coding sequences in RNA2 for the coat proteins (CP) of strawberry latent ringspot virus (SLRSV) were modified and amplified using polymerase chain amplification reactions (PCR) to facilitate their expression inAgrobacterium tumefaciens-transformedNicotiana tabacum Xanthi-nc. The coding sequences for the smaller capsid protein (S, 29kDa) and that for the theoretical precursor of L and S (P, 73kDa) had ATG initiation codon sequences added at the 5-proximal Ser/Gly (S/G) cleavage site in the unmodified sequence. The sequence coding for the larger of the two proteins of mature SLRSV capsids (L, 44kDa) had an ATG codon added at its 5 S/G site and a TAG stop codon sequence added at the 3-proximal S/G site. The P, L and S proteins were expressedin planta to a maximum concentration of 0.01 % of total extractable proteins but did not assemble into virus-like particles. When challenged by mechanical inoculation with virus particles or viral RNA, and compared with control plants, tobacco plants (primary transgenic clones or S1 and S2, kanamycin-resistant seedlings) expressing the virus capsid subunits separately, or their precursor, decreased the accumulation of SLRSV particles in inoculated leaves and fewer plants became invaded systemically. In experiments in which the roots of seedlings were exposed to SLRSV-carrying vector nematodes (Xiphinema diversicaudatum), SLRSV was detected in the roots of non-transformed control tobacco plants (6/20) and in transgenic tobacco expressing the L protein (7/40), but not in any of 25 tobacco plants expressing the S protein or in 35 expressing the P protein. This is the second example of CP-mediated resistance to virus inoculation by nematode vectors.     

Complete Nucleotide Sequence of Ryegrass Mottle Virus : A New Species of the Genus Sobemovirus

The genome of Ryegrass mottle virus (RGMoV) comprises 4210 nucleotides. The genomic RNA contains four open reading frames (ORFs). The largest ORF 2 encodes a polyprotein of 947 amino acids (103.6 kDa), which codes for a serine protease and an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. The viral coat protein is encoded on ORF 4 present at the 3′-proximal region. Other ORFs 1 and 3 encode the predicted 14.6 kDa and 19.8 kDa proteins of unknown function. The consensus signal for frameshifting, heptanucleotide UUUAAAC and a stem-loop structure just downstream is in front of the AUG codon of ORF 3. Analysis of the in vitro translation products of RGMoV RNA suggests that the 68 kDa protein may represent a fusion protein of ORF 2-ORF 3 produced by frameshifting. The protease region of the polyprotein and coat protein have a low similarity with that of the sobemoviruses (approximately 25% amino acid identity), while the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase region has particularly strong similarity (54 to 60% of more than 350 amino acid residues). The sequence similarities of RGMoV to the sobemoviruses, together with the characteristic genome organization indicate that RGMoV is a new species of the genus Sobemovirus. Received 28 June 2000/ Accepted in revised form 14 November 2000     

Molecular characterisation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rice stripe necrosis virus</Emphasis> as a new species of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Benyvirus</Emphasis>

The complete nucleotide sequences of RNAs 1 and 2 of Rice stripe necrosis virus (RSNV) were determined and compared to the corresponding genomes of all sequenced, rod-shaped plant viruses. The genome organisation of RSNV RNA1 and RNA2 is nearly identical to that of Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) and Beet soil-borne mosaic virus (BSBMV), definitive species of the genus Benyvirus. As demonstrated for BNYVV and BSBMV, the RNA1 of RSNV also encodes a single ORF with putative replicase-associated motifs, which distinguishes benyviruses from all other viruses possessing rod-shaped particles. As described for BNYVV, RNSV RNA-2 also contains six ORFs: the capsid protein gene, the read-through protein gene, a triple gene block gene that codes for three different proteins, and a 17 kDa cysteine-rich protein. RNAs 3 and 4 (or 5 in the case of BNYVV), identified in natural infections of BNYVV and BSBMV, were not detected in any of the 44 RSNV cDNA clones obtained in this investigation. Nevertheless, phylogenetic and amino comparative acid sequence analyses demonstrated that RSNV is more closely related to BNYVV and BSBMV than to any other rod-shaped plant virus characterised to date.     

A Survey of Viruses of Alstroemeria in the UK and the Characterisation of Carlaviruses Infecting Alstroemeria

Alstroemeria samples collected in the UK were tested for a range of viruses using ELISA. Alstroemeria mosaic virus (AlMV), alstroemeria carlavirus (AlCV), lily symptomless virus (LSV), cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and tobacco rattle virus (TRV) were detected either singly or in combination in 67.5% of 203 samples. AlCV and LSV isolates from Alstroemeria and lily were studied and characterised serologically using existing antisera, and by PCR, using primers to an 11kDa open reading frame (ORF) unique to carlaviruses and to the coat protein gene of LSV. Sequences of isolates of AlCV and LSV from the coat protein gene were 94–99% similar and were 99% similar in the 11kDa ORF, supporting the view that these are strains of the same virus.     

Characterization and differentiation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Erwinia carotovora</Emphasis> strains from mulberry trees

We recently reported that two diverse types (types 1 and 2) were identified among strains of Erwinia carotovora from mulberry trees. Type 1 strains were similar to E. carotovora subsp. carotovora (Ecc), whereas type 2 strains were distinct from Ecc and other E. carotovora strains. In this study, seven more mulberry strains of type 2 and reference strains were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and randomly amplified of polymorphic DNA (RAPD). On the basis of SDS-PAGE profiles of whole-cell proteins, type 2 strains had high similarity with one another. In addition, they had an unique peptide band with a molecular mass of approximately 28kDa. RAPD analysis showed that they were also effectively differentiated by a strong, specific RAPD fragment for type 2 strains. Based on these two approaches, we have confirmed that the present type 2 strains from mulberry can be discriminated clearly from other soft rot Erwinia species.     

Analysis of genetic relations between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Broad bean wilt virus 1</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Broad bean wilt virus 2</Emphasis>

We determined the complete nucleotide sequence of RNA-1 and the 5-terminal region of RNA-2 from Broad bean wilt virus 1 (BBWV-1) isolate PV132. This report is the first analysis of the genome organization of BBWV-1. We also determined the complete nucleotide sequence of RNA-1 from Broad bean wilt virus 2 (BBWV-2) isolate IP and analyzed the genetic relations between BBWV-1 and BBWV-2. Similar to the BBWV-2 isolates, both RNAs of PV132 encoded a single large polyprotein, which was predicted to contain some functional proteins in a manner similar to those of comovirus. With respect to the deduced amino acid sequences of the mature proteins, PV132 and IP had only 20%–40% homology to comovirus. On the other hand, IP was 73%–98% homologous to BBWV-2 isolates, but PV132 was 39%–67% homologous to the isolates. Although the extent of the homologies differed, the homologies were limited between BBWV-1 and BBWV-2 not only for the coat protein but also for the other proteins. These results clearly support the placement of BBWV-1 and BBWV-2 in the genus Fabavirus as distinct species, proposed on the basis of double immunodiffusion tests.The nucleotide sequence data reported are available in the DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank databases under the accession numbers AB084450 (RNA-1 of isolate PV132), AB084451 (RNA-2 of isolate PV132), and AB023484 (RNA-1 of isolate IP)     

Lonicera latent virus,a new carlavirus serologically related to poplar mosaic virus: some properties and inactivation in vivo by heat treatment

A virus with elongate particles (656 nm) was isolated from severalLonicera species. This virus, apparently belonging to the carlavirus group, is serologically distantly related to shallot latent virus and closely related to poplar mosaic virus. The inability to infect poplar and two other hosts of poplar mosaic virus characterizes the virus fromLonicera as a new virus which was namedLonicera latent virus.The virus was easily sap-transmissible but was not transmitted byMyzus persicae.Dilution end-point was about 10^–3, thermal inactivation between 65°C and 80°C and ageing in vitro 1–6 days.Heat treatment, combined with tip-rooting appeared to be a good method to eliminate the virus from severalLonicera species and cultivars.Samenvatting In verschillende soorten en cultivars van het geslachtLonicera (kamperfoelie) blijkt een virus voor te komen dat gemakkelijk door sapinoculatie kan worden overgebracht op kruidachtige planten.Een tegen gezuiverd virus bereid antiserum had een titer van ca. 4096. Er kon mee worden aangetoond dat het virus van kamperfoelie serologisch nauw verwant is met populieremozaïekvirus (Tabel 1). Het virus van kamperfoelie is echter niet in staat om populier,Phaseolus vulgaris Bataaf enVigna sinensis te infecteren en wordt mede daarom als een afzonderlijk virus beschouwd. Het wordt aangeduid als latent kamperfoelievirus (Lonicera latent virus) en behoort evenals populieremozaïekvirus tot de carlavirusgroep (aardappelvirus-S-groep).Het virus blijkt vrij gemakkelijk te kunnen worden geëlimineerd door besmette kamperfoelieplanten gedurende ongeveer zes weken een warmtebehandeling (37°C) te geven en daarna de uiterste toppen (1 cm) te stekken. Van verschillende cultivars werd op deze wijze virusvrij uitgangsmateriaal verkregen.     

Cloning of a specific DNA region of white top pathogen of pea and its detection by polymerase chain reaction

White top strain (WT strain) of Pseudomonas syringae pv. pisi (Ppi) is a variant strain causing white top disease of peas. The WT strain is distinguishable from common Ppi strains only by symptom expression chlorosis and whitening of apical shoots. To develop a specific detection method for the WT strain, we cloned a specific DNA region of the WT strain using transposon tagging. Five mutants defective in white top symptom expression were obtained. A part of the Tn5-flanking region was cloned and labeled as a hybridization probe. One clone, pAY3, gave two signal bands, one of which was detected from the genomic DNA of all the WT and the common Ppi strains; another was specific to WT strains. A restriction map of pAY3 showed that it contains two BamHI fragments; one is 5.0kb in length involving a part of Tn5, and the other is 1.5kb, did not carry Tn5, and may have been accidentally ligated into pAY3. The 1.5-kb band was subcloned as pAY13 and was used as a probe. It hybridized specifically to WT strains. These results suggested that the WT strains have a specific DNA region and that part of the region was successfully cloned. Sequence analysis of pAY13 showed that it is similar to part of nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) genes. The deduced amino acid sequence of pAY13 suggested the existence of eight conserved motifs of NRPSs. WT strain-specific PCR primers, PS1 and PS2, were designed from the DNA sequence. These primers gave a specific amplification product of 981bp from both the genomic DNA and a direct cell preparation of WT strains. No specific amplicon was produced from Ppi strains that caused only water-soaked lesions or from strains of other P. syringae pathovars. A specific amplicon was not produced from four strains of the pea pathogen: P. marginalis pv. marginalis, P. viridiflava, Erwinia carotovora ssp. carotovora, Xanthomonas campestris pv. pisi. Using the primers, WT strain was detected from water-soaked lesions and green and white tissues without water soaking.The sequence reported in this paper has been deposited in the DDBJ database under accession no. AB117755     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Leptosphaeria maculans</Emphasis>, a fungal pathogen of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica napus</Emphasis>, secretes a subtilisin-like serine protease

Leptosphaeria maculans,a fungal pathogen of Brassica napus, secretes large amounts of a 28kDa protein (SP2) in liquid culture. This protein shows high sequence similarity to secreted serine proteases from other ascomycetes and is the major component of culture filtrate with protease activity, as analysed on casein zymogels. The sp2 gene is expressed during infection of B.napuscotyledons when L. maculans hyphae are growing between mesophyll cells, as well as at later stages when the fungus invades the vascular tissue.     

Yellows of lettuce and some other vegetable crops in the Netherlands caused by beet western yellows virus

A virus isolated from lettuce (Lactuca sativa), endive (Cichorium endivia), witloof chicory (C. intybus), and spinach (Spinacia oleracea), and from some weeds was shown to be beet western yellows virus (BWYV) by its host range, particle morphology and serology. It resembled previously described European isolates but differed from American strains in its inability to infectBeta vulgaris, Brassica pekinensis andRaphanus sativus. The most useful host for routine indexing wasCrambe abyssinica. Virus particles in purified preparations stained with uranyl acetate were isometric, ca. 27 nm in diameter. Purified virus reacted with antiserum to an American strain of BWYV in infectivity neutralization gel diffusion and serologically specific electron-microscopy tests.The field reaction to BWYV of cultivars of lettuce, otherLactuca species and someCichorium species was investigated and differences in symptom expression were observed. On the basis of observations during two seasons BWYV appeared to be widely distributed but seemed of minor economic importance to lettuce growing. It may be a potentially important pathogen of endive and chicory.Samenvatting Reeds gedurende enkele jaren trekt in Nederland een vergelingsziekte van sla (Fig. 1 en 2) de aandacht. In 1977 en 1978 werd de ziekte nader bestudeerd en ook waargenomen in andijvie, witlof (Fig. 3) en spinazie. Uit zieke planten van deze vier gewassen en uit de onkruiden herderstasje en kruiskruid, groeiend in de buurt van de zieke sla, kon doorMyzus persicae op persistente wijze een virus worden overgebracht. Het werd op grond van zijn waardplantenreeks (Tabel 1), deeltjesmorfologie (Fig. 4A) en serologie (Fig. 4B) herkend als het in de USA beschreven beet western yellows virus (BWYV).Het Nederlandse virus komt overeen met in andere landen gerapporteerde Europese isolaten van het virus, maar verschilt van Amerikaanse doordat het niet in staat is om biet, chinese kool en radijs te infecteren. Daarom is voor het virus door Bos en Ashby (1978) de Nederlandse naam slavergelingsvirus ingevoerd. De meest geschikte indicatorplant voor routinetoetsing isCramble abyssinica (Tabel 2). De reactie van herderstasje varieert al naar individu van nagenoeg letaal tot vrijwel symptoomloos (Fig. 5).In gedeeltelijk gezuiverde preparaten bleken de deeltjes bolvormig te zijn en ca. 27 nm in diameter (Fig. 4A). Zulke preparaten reageerden met antiserum tegen een Amerikaanse stam van het virus (BWYV) in toetsen die gebruik maken van infectieneutralisering, gel-diffusie en serologisch-speciefieke elektronenmikroskopie. Bij laatstgenoemde techniek werd een fraaie deeltjesklontering waargenomen (Fig. 4B), die ontbrak na incubatie van gezuiverd virus met een antiserum tegen het niet verwante kersebladrolvirus (Fig. 4C).Bij veldwaarneming in 1977 van 20 slarassen, waarbij tot 60% van de planten van één ras werden aangetast, bleken twee rassen niet of weinig vatbaar (Tabel 3). Bij inoculatie in de kas bleken ze echter volledig vatbaar. In 1978 werd een aantal soorten en rassen vanCichorium enLactuca blootgesteld aan natuurlijke en aan kunstmatige infectie. BehalveC. intybus Groenlof IVT waren allen vatbaar, ookL. sativa Gallega de Invierno,L. serriola enL. virosa.Het virus lijkt algemeen voor te komen. Meestal is de infectiegraad niet hoog. Vanwege de lange incubatieduur in sla is het virus in dat gewas bij de hier toegepaste teeltwijze waarschijnlijk van geringe betekenis. Het lijkt echter een potentieel belangrijk pathogeen voor andijvie en witlof.Guest research worker, Plant Diseases Division, DSIR, Private Bag, Christchurch, New Zealand, with financial assistance from the International Agricultural Centre, Wageningen, and Ministry of Education and Science, The Hague.     

Hypovirulent strain of the violet root rot fungus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helicobasidium mompa</Emphasis>

The hyphal tip was isolated from 13 weakly or moderately virulent strains of Helicobasidium mompa to remove double-stranded (ds) RNAs and demonstrate their role as the hypovirulence factor. All of 829 hyphal tip subcultures retained dsRNAs. However, strain v670 containing two large fragments (10kb) and one small fragment (ca. 2.3kb) of dsRNA lost the largest fragment in 3 of 63 subcultures analyzed. One of the three subcultures (v670hti) was used to inoculate carrots to regain virulence compared to the parental strain v670. When isolate v670hti was paired with v670, the largest fragment was reintroduced to v670hti, and its virulence was diminished. Northern blot analysis with two probes hybridizing dsRNA fragments in most H. mompa strains revealed that the largest fragment involved in hypovirulence was different from two other fragments that are common in Japan. These results indicate that the largest dsRNA fragment in strain v670 is associated with hypovirulence in H. mompa.     

Prochloraz for control of fungal pathogens of cultivated mushrooms

A wettable powder of prochloraz manganese complex 50% a.i. satisfactorily controlled the four major pathogens ofAgaricus bisporus andA. bitorquis: Verticillium fungicola var.fungicola, the cause of dry bubble,Mycogone perniciosa, the cause of wet bubble,Cladobotryum dendroides, the cause of cobweb disease andV. fungicola var.aleophilum, the cause of brown spots. The results were obtained in trials in trays with theAgaricus species, which were inoculated with the pathogens.The product was not toxic to bothAgaricus species in the effective dosages and the taste of the mushrooms was not affected by prochloraz formulations. Application of 1.5 g a.i. m^–2 nine days after casing is preferred, also in view of the residue levels. A 45% emulsifiable concentrate of the product without manganese was slightly toxic to mushrooms in a lower dosage than the wettable poweder.Samenvatting Een spuitpoeder met 50% prochloraz als werkzaam bestanddeel (een prochlorazmangaan-complex) gaf in de teelt van champignons (A. bisporus enA. bitorquis) een uitstekende bestrijding van de vier belangrijkste pathogene schimmels:Verticillium fungicola var.fungicola (de veroorzaker van droge mollen),Mycogone perniciosa (de veroorzaker van natte mollen),Cladobotryum dendroides (spinnewebschimmel) enV. fungicola var.aleophilum (de veroorzaker van bruine vlekken). Deze resultaten werden verkregen in proeven met kisten waarin deAgaricus-soorten, die geïnoculeerd werden met genoemde pathogenen, werden geteeld.Het produkt was voor geen van beideAgaricus-soorten toxisch als het werd toegepast in de werkzame doseringen, en de champignonsmaak werd door het middel niet nadelig beïnvloed. De voorkeur wordt gegeven aan toepassing van 1,5 g werkzame stof per m², 9 dagen na het afdekken, mede op grond van de gevonden residuwaarden. Een 45% vloeibare formulering zonder mangaan was, in lagere doseringen dan het spuitpoeder, in lichte mate toxisch voor champignons.     

A new plant pathogenic sterile white basidiomycete from Australia

A sterile white fungus was isolated from the healthy looking roots of buffalo grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) grown on cleared bush land in Perth, Western Australia. The fungal strain was pathogenic on 12 plant species screened under the greenhouse conditions. The clamp connections and dolipore septa indicated that the isolate was a Basidiomycete. Mycelial features, growth rate at different temperatures, as well as pathogenicity patterns of this sterile white basidiomycete (SWB) were distinctly different from those of a strain with a similar morphology, ATCC 28344, previously described as a pathogen in Florida and Georgia (USA). All attempts to induce sporulation failed. The isolates were also compared using the nucleotide sequence analysis of the ribosomal DNA array. Approximately 1 kbp of the 5 end of the large subunit ribosomal RNA gene, complete sequences of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene and the entire ITS region (including ITS1, ITS2 and 5.8S gene) were sequenced for the purpose. The obtained sequences were compared with the homologous regions of other genera of Agaricales available in GenBank. Relatively low sequence similarities between the American and Australian strains, as well as the phylogenetic analysis of the studied regions has suggested that these two fungi belong to different genera. Interesting results were achieved in the case of the large subunit ribosomal DNA since this region has been widely studied for taxonomy of Basidiomycetes. The Australian strain 3034 appeared to be closely related to the genus Campanella and the American SWB was identified as belonging to the genus Marasmius, possibly to M. graminum. Our data suggest that the Australian strain is a novel pathogen, and is different from the American SWB isolates described to date.     

Molecular Identification of Oat Mosaic Virus as a Bymovirus

A partial sequence of Oat mosaic virus (OMV) has been obtained for four isolates of the virus from four European countries. This represents the first available sequence data for this important disease of winter-sown oats. The longest clone of 1699 nucleotides was obtained from infected English oats using a degenerate primer, designed to members of the Potyviridae family. Alignment of the predicted amino acid sequence with members of the Potyviridae showed closest identity with viruses of the Bymovirus genus. The predicted amino acid sequence has one open reading frame corresponding to part of the NIb and capsid protein, with a 3 untranslated region of 351 nucleotides, followed by a poly(A) tail. PCR primers were designed to the coat protein and NIb gene of members of the Bymovirus genus and used to obtain partial sequences of 1441 nucleotides at the 3 end of infected oats from both Wales and France. A specific primer set designed to the English isolate was used to generate a product of 701 nucleotides from OMV-infected oat leaves from Ireland. All four isolates are highly conserved at the amino acid level.The first two authors contributed equally to the work     

Potential for Biocontrol of Monosporascus Root Rot/vine Decline Under Greenhouse Conditions using Hypovirulent Isolates of Monosporascus cannonballus

Monosporascus root rot/vine decline (MRR/VD) causes root necrosis and severe stunting of muskmelon and watermelon plants in several countries around the world. MRR/VD is caused by the soilborne ascomycete fungus, Monosporascus cannonballus. Currently, there are few options available for control of MRR/VD. This research describes experiments to test the possibility of using naturally occurring M. cannonballus isolates containing double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) for the biological control of MRR/VD. These isolates often develop a degenerate phenotype characterized by slow growth and reduced ascospore production. In addition, these degenerate isolates are hypovirulent on muskmelon. Plants co-inoculated with a hypovirulent, dsRNA⁺ isolate (Tx93-449⁺) and a virulent, dsRNA^- isolate (Az90-33^-) at an inoculum ratio of 10:1 (hypovirulent:virulent) were indistinguishable from the uninoculated plants in greenhouse pathogenicity trials. In vitro infection assays using fluorescence microscopy on aniline-stained muskmelon roots suggested that although the hypovirulent dsRNA⁺ isolate Tx93-449⁺ penetrated and partially colonized roots of the seedlings, it was not as efficient in colonizing the roots as the virulent, dsRNA^- isolate Az90-33^-. While more extensive experiments are needed, these data suggest that hypovirulent dsRNA⁺ isolates of M. cannonballus have potential for development as biological control agents to reduce disease pressure associated with MRR/VD.     

Serendipitous identification of a new Iflavirus‐like virus infecting tomato and its subsequent characterization

The genomic sequence of a previously undescribed virus was identified from symptomless tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum). The viral genome is a positive‐sense ssRNA molecule of 8506 nucleotides. It is predicted to encode a single polyprotein of 314·5 kDa that is subsequently processed into three coat protein components of 13·7, 17·9 and 13·5 kDa, and a viral replicase of approximately 207 kDa with conserved motifs for a helicase, a protease and RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Pairwise analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence of the RdRp revealed that it shares closest identity with members of the family Iflaviridae, genus Iflavirus (19–47% identity). Evidence of replication in plants was detected by RT‐PCR of the viral replicative strand, and short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) matching the virus. The name Tomato matilda virus (TMaV) is proposed, and furthermore, that the genus Tomavirus (Tomato matilda virus) be created within the family Iflaviridae. This is the first report of a plant‐infecting virus resembling members of the Iflaviridae.     

A strain ofPseudomonas syringae which does not belong to pathovarphaseolicola produces phaseolotoxin

A bacterial strain, CFBP 3388, isolated from Vetch (Vicia sativa, L.) was identified asP. s. pv.syringae on the basis of nutritional and biochemical patterns which were obtained with classical tests and the Biolog system. It caused necrotic symptoms typical ofP. s. pv.syringae on bean leaves and pods after artificial inoculation. However, the isolate caused a citrulline-reversible inhibition ofE. coli in phaseolotoxin bioassay. Furthermore, with CFBP 3388 DNA as template a 1900 bp DNA fragment, specific for the phaseolotoxin DNA cluster ofP. s. pv.phaseolicola, was amplified by PCR. This is the first demonstration that an isolate ofP. syringae that is not pv.phaseolicola can produce phaseolotoxinAbbreviations bp base pair - kb kilobase - OCT Ornithine Carbamoyl Transferase     

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.