The ‘6K1’ protein of a strain of Soybean mosaic virus localizes to the cell periphery

The ‘6K1’ protein of the Pinellia isolate of Soybean mosaic virus was cloned into a prokaryotic expression vector and a polyclonal antiserum raised to the expressed fusion protein. In immunogold labeling of thin sections of infected leaves of Pinellia ternata, specific labeling occurred at the cell periphery. This might suggest that the potyvirus ‘6K1’ protein plays some role in viral cell-to-cell movement but the lack of transmembrane domains suggests that it does not conform to currently-recognized patterns of viral movement proteins.