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Title: VIRUS-INFECTED LUPINUS NOOTKATENSIS FOUND IN HATCHER PASS, ALASKA.

Author
item ROBERTSON, NANCY
item Knight Slater, Denice

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/28/2000
Publication Date: 6/20/2001
Citation: Robertson, N.L., Knight Slater, D.F. 2001. Virus-infected lupinus nootkatensis found in Hatcher Pass, Alaska. Phytopathology. Vol. 91 (supplement):189

Interpretive Summary: Studies on plant viruses infecting native plants in Alaska are scarce. We detected diseased Lupinus nootkatensis plants in their natural habitat in the Hatcher Pass region north of Anchorage Alaska. Diseased plants had symptoms of leaf vein clearing and overall plant stunting that were possible indicators of a virus infection. Separation of virus particles from diseased leaf tissue and not from healthy tissue supported a viral entity associated with the disease. Chemical characterization of the virus particles placed them in the plant virus family Tombusviridae.

Technical Abstract: Studies on plant viruses infecting native plants in Alaska are scarce. We detected diseased Lupinus nootkatensis plants in their natural habitat in the Hatcher Pass region north of Anchorage, Alaska. Leaf symptoms consisted of prominent vein-clearing and some stunting. Partially purified particles were isolated from diseased leaves and not from healthy plants. Virions appeared to be about 25nm isometic particles when stained with uranyl acetate and viewed with the electron microscope. Ultrathin sections of diseased leaves contained similar virus particles and inclusion bodies in the cytoplasm. Protein extracts from purified virions produced a 39-40kDa protein presumed to be the coat protein. Virion RNA was determined to be about 4.3Kb without a poly(A)-tail; corresponding synthesized cDNA fragments were sequenced. Based on the given parameters of the shape and size of the virions, the size of the coat protein and RNA genome, and partial nucleotide sequence determination, we conclude that the virus belongs to the plant virus family Tombusviridae.