Summary
Pelargonium flower break virus (PFBV) is one of the common viruses in the glasshouses of Western Europe and has been assigned to the genus Carmovirus. A Spanish isolate obtained from nursery-grown Pelargonium zonale plants (PFBV-m) has been characterized. The molecular weight of genomic RNA and coat protein of PFBV-m were determined to be 1.36 × 106 (corresponding to approximately 4 kb) and 36,000, respectively. Only genomic-size RNA was encapsidated in PFBV virions; making necessary to purify double-stranded RNA from infected tissue in order to detect putative PFBV subgenomic RNAs. PFBV RNA directed the synthesis of a major polypeptide of 34 kDa and three other relevant polypeptides of estimated sizes 88–90 kDa, 42 kDa and 35–36 kDa. Antisera specific to PFBV immunoprecipitated the in vitro translated 35–36 kDa polypeptide indicating that this polypeptide is the PFBV coat protein. The PFBV in vitro translation pattern was very similar to that of CarMV although the relative levels of translated coat protein differed dramatically between the two viruses, most probably due to the lack of encapsidation of subgenomic PFBV. In vitro translation studies with a different biological clone obtained from the same PFBV-m isolate revealed a prominent additional polypeptide which is postulated to be a truncation of the 5′ proximal ORF.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received November 27, 1998 Accepted March 24, 1999
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Díez, J., Marcos, J. & Pallás, V. Characterization and in vitro translation analysis of pelargonium flower break virus. Arch. Virol. 144, 1627–1637 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s007050050616
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s007050050616