The nucleotide sequence of the 3′-terminal region of dasheen mosaic virus (Caladium isolate) and expression of its coat protein in Escherichia coli for antiserum production

Summary

A caladium isolate of dasheen mosaic virus (DsMV-Ch) was cloned as cDNA from genomic RNA. The sequence of the 3′-terminal 3 158 nucleotides, which consisted of the 3′-terminus of the NIa gene, the NIb gene, the coat protein (CP) gene, and a 246-nucleotide non-coding region, was between 57–68% similar at the nucleotide level and 72–82% similar at the amino acid level when compared with other potyviruses. Phylogenetic analysis of aligned, selected potyviral CP sequences indicate that DsMV-Ch is similar to DsMV isolates infecting taro and closely related to the bean common mosaic virus subgroup in the genus Potyvirus. A recombinant DsMV-Ch CP (∼39 kDa) expressed in E. coli was used as an immunogen and the resulting antiserum reacted with DsMV and several other potyviruses in Western blots and indirect ELISA.