Journal of General Virology (2007) 88, 3452-3457

Satoru Machida, Naoki Yamahata, Hiromi Watanuki, Robert A. Owens and Teruo Sano (2007)
Successive accumulation of two size classes of viroid-specific small RNA in Potato spindle tuber viroid-infected tomato plants
Journal of General Virology 88 (12), 3452-3457
Abstract: Like many plant RNA viruses, infection by potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) is known to lead to RNA silencing and a marked reduction in visible disease. To examine the relationship between RNA silencing and this recovery phenomenon in greater detail, we have carried out time-course analyses of viroid-specific small RNA accumulation using several viroid-host combinations. These analyses revealed the presence of two size classes of viroid-specific small RNAs in infected plants, and sequence analysis subsequently demonstrated the presence of a previously undescribed cluster of small RNAs derived primarily from negative-strand PSTVd RNA. Although the clustering patterns were similar, the size distribution of PSTVd small RNAs isolated from symptomatic leaf tissue became more heterogeneous with time. The process by which viroid-specific small RNAs are generated appears to be more complicated than previously believed, possibly involving multiple DICER-LIKE activities, viroid RNA substrates and subcellular compartments.
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Database assignments for author(s): Teruo Sano, Robert A. Owens

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
molecular biology - genes
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Potato spindle tuber viroid	Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)