Objective
This project tests the hypothesis that plant virus host range and systemic infection are controlled by interactions between MPs (or MP-viral RNA complexes) and host factors (HFs). The specific objectives will involve:
(i) structural characterization of MP-RNA complexes formed in vitro;
(ii) isolation and structural analysis of TMV-specific and PVX-specific MP-RNA complexes formed in vivo;
(iii) detection of host plant receptors (HFs) specifically interacting with the MPs of TMV, crTMV, PVX and CMV;
(iv) demonstration that MPs interact with HFs complexed with viral RNAs; and (v) analysis of the effects of PVX and CMV MP mutations or deletions on cell-to-cell and long- distance movement.
The objectives will be achieved by collaborative research in the four laboratories:
(i) Affinity chromatography, filter binding, assays and chemical crosslinking will be used to obtain complexes of MPs and HFs.
(ii) The HFs will be characterized biochemically and will be used to generate antibodies and oligonucleotides to be used to investigate localization and expression patterns of HFs
(iii) MP-RNA complexes will be assessed for their infectivity in host and non-host plants.
(iv) The effects of mutations in various MPs on the localisation of MPs as well as the local and/or systemic movement of PVX and CMV will be determined by fluorescence microscopy of those viruses expressing the gene for the green fluorescent protein.
This last approach will provide mollar and cellular biological data complementary to the biochemical and pathological data generated by the above approaches. This new information, at the forefront of plant biology and virology, will be widely disseminated by publication in high quality international journals.
Topic(s)
Data not availableCall for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
Data not availableCoordinator
DD2 5DA Dundee
United Kingdom