Phytoparasitica (1997) 25, 80-81

R.A. Owens, G. Steger, Y. Hu, A. Fels, R.W. Hammond and D. Riesner (1997)
RNA structural features responsible for Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) pathogenicity
Phytoparasitica 25 (1), 80-81
The Xth International Congress of Virology, August 11-16, 1996, Jerusalem, Israel, lecture
Abstract: We have carried out a combination of quantitative bioassays, temperature gradient gel electrophoresis analyses of circularized RNA transcripts, and theoretical calculations with 12 representative sequence variants of PSTVd in an effort to determine how nucleotides within the pathogenicity domain modulate symptom expression. No consistent correlation between denaturation temperature and symptom severity could be identified. Thermodynamic calculations do indicate, however, that severe variants have access to a wider range of suboptimal secondary-tertiary structures than do milder variants. Major differences were also identified in the overall geometry of the pathogenicity domain; e.g. variants producing intermediate symptoms contain a linear arrangement of three consecutive helices, whereas this domain is 'bent' in opposing directions for mild or severe variants. Differences in secondary or tertiary structure, together with concomitant alterations in RNA-protein interactions, may be the primary cause of viroid pathogenicity.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Robert A. Owens

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.
	Potato spindle tuber viroid