Archives of Virology (2004) 149, 791-798

R.J. Geijskes, K.S. Braithwaite, G.R. Smith, J.L. Dale and R.M. Harding (2004)
Sugarcane bacilliform viruses encapsidates genome concatamers and does not appear to integrate into the Saccharum officinarum genome
Archives of Virology 149 (4), 791-798
Abstract: Sugarcane bacilliform virus (SCBV) DNA molecules larger than the complete genome length of 7.6 kbp were detected in infected plants and in virions. We have confirmed that these high molecular weight nucleic acids were open circular DNA and viral in origin. Due to their open circular conformation, accurate size determination of the DNA molecules was not possible using conventional electrophoresis. Using field inversion gel electrophoresis (FIGE), however, the DNA appeared to increase in genome size increments, with sizes ranging from 1 to 4 genomes (31 kbp) detected. The DNA was packaged into virions, which may explain the observation of purified virions with lengths corresponding to one, two or three times the modal length of 130 nm. The DNA products were possibly concatamers formed during replication as a result of a terminal overlap on the sense strand, and were shown to be overlapped individual genome-length molecules and not covalently-bonded continuous DNA strands. Southern analysis indicated that SCBV sequences are not integrated into the sugarcane genome and that the high molecular weight DNA observed in the sugarcane accessions analysed represents SCBV concatamers.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Grant R. Smith, Robert M. Harding

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Sugarcane bacilliform viruses	Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum)