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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Plant Pathology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #242259
Title: Tomato spotted wilt virus NSm protein domains involved in tubule formation,movement and symptoms

Author
item LI, WEIMIN - University Of Florida
item LEWANDOSKI, DENNIS - The Ohio State University
item Hilf, Mark
item Adkins, Scott

Submitted to: Thysanoptera International Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/15/2009
Publication Date: 8/31/2009
Citation: Li, W., Lewandoski, D.J., Hilf, M.E., Adkins, S.T. 2009. Tomato spotted wilt virus NSm protein domains involved in tubule formation,movement and symptoms. Thysanoptera International Conference Proceedings.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Direct demonstration of Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) gene function has been slowed by the absence of a reliable reverse genetics system. A Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)-based expression system was previously used by us to demonstrate that the TSWV NSm protein is able to support cell-to-cell movement in the absence of any other TSWV proteins. Further demonstration that NSm induced tubule formation in protoplasts, supported long-distance movement and induced TSWV-like symptoms in plants was also facilitated by the TMV-based expression system. Essential NSm domains for tubule formation, movement and symptoms have now been identified by our use of deletion-mapping and alanine-substitution mutagenesis via the TMV-based system. Two regions of NSm were required for both tubule formation in protoplasts and cell-to-cell movement in plants, indicating a correlation between these activities. Results of our mutagenesis studies of conserved amino acids suggest that the function(s) predicted from domains common to tospovirus NSm proteins may be conserved across the genus. Further exploration of functions of this interesting protein from both additional TSWV isolates and other tospovirus species is merited.