Pathogenicity and stability of a truncated DNAβ associated with Tomato yellow leaf curl China virus

DNAP molecules are single-stranded satellite DNA associated with monopartite begomoviruses (family Geminiviridae). DNAP possesses a C1 acne on the complementary strand, which has a conserved position and size. To better understand the function of C1 gene in virus infection, a C1 deletion DNAP associated with a Tomato yellow leaf curl China virus (TYLCCNV) isolate was constructed. Co-agromoculation with TYLCCNV showed the truncated DNAP was infectious in Nicotiana benthomiana and N. glutinosa plants but not in N. tabacum Samsun, N. tabacum and Lycopersicon esculentum plants. The wild-type TYLCCNV DNA beta co-agromoculated with TYI-CCNV caused systemic infection in all the above hosts. Results Of Southern blot analysis indicate that C1 gene is not required for TYLCCNV and DNAP replication. However, the presence of C1 gene in DNAP can increase both TYLCCNV and DNAP accumulation in infected plants. The truncated TYLCCNV DNAP was stable in A benthamiana and N. glutinosa plants. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.