- Volume 93, Issue 10, 2012

Gene 3 in the genomes of several plant-infecting rhabdoviruses, including rice transitory yellowing virus (RTYV), has been postulated to encode a cell-to-cell movement protein (MP). Trans-complementation experiments using a movement-defective tomato mosaic virus and the P3 protein of RTYV, encoded by gene 3, facilitated intercellular transport of the mutant virus. In transient-expression experiments with the GFP-fused P3 protein in epidermal leaf cells of Nicotiana benthamiana, the P3 protein was associated with the nucleus and plasmodesmata. Immunogold-labelling studies of thin sections of RTYV-infected rice plants using an antiserum against Escherichia coli-expressed His6-tagged P3 protein indicated that the P3 protein was located in cell walls and on virus particles. In Western blots using antisera against E. coli-expressed P3 protein and purified RTYV, the P3 protein was detected in purified RTYV, whilst antiserum against purified RTYV reacted with the E. coli-expressed P3 protein. After immunogold labelling of crude sap from RTYV-infected rice leaves, the P3 protein, as well as the N protein, was detected on the ribonucleocapsid core that emerged from partially disrupted virus particles. These results provide evidence that the P3 protein of RTYV, which functions as a viral MP, is a viral structural protein and seems to be associated with the ribonucleocapsid core of virus particles.

An aquatic phage, designated F20, was characterized and its physico-chemical characteristics studied. F20 was specifically virulent to only two strains of Enterobacter aerogenes (ATCC 13048 and the multi-drug-resistant strain K113) among other species tested (n = 15). It was classified in the family Siphoviridae of T1-like viruses and contained a linear dsDNA genome estimated to be 51.5 kbp enclosed by an isometric capsid of 50±2 nm in diameter and a tail of 150±3 nm in length. F20 was able to survive in a broad pH range between 4 and 11, showed potential for future animal trials using oral solution and resisted chloroform and ethanol. It exhibited remarkable stability between room temperature and 70 °C for up to 150 min, and even up to 6 months at room temperature. Knowledge of this phage belonging to the widespread T1-like viruses might be helpful for adopting therapeutic strategies against E. aerogenes.