Identification and Comparison of Viral Genes Coding for Capsid Proteins of Ustilago maydis Virus

• Published in: Journal of general virology Vol. 68; no. 11; pp. 2741 - 2750
• Main Authors: Podila, Gopi K, Flurkey, William H, Bozarth, Robert F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Soc General Microbiol 01.11.1987
• Subjects: Ustilago maydis
• ISSN: 0022-1317; 1465-2099
• DOI: 10.1099/0022-1317-68-11-2741

1 Department of Life Sciences 2 Department of Chemistry and 3 The Interdisciplinary Center for Cell Products and Technologies, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana 47809, U.S.A. Direct evidence linking the capsid protein to specific dsRNA segments from the three killer strains of Ustilago maydis virus (P1, P4, P6) is presented. The capsid proteins of the three strains cross-react immunologically, have similar mol. wt. and similar peptide maps after limited proteolysis. The capsid proteins from P1 and P4 were translated from their respective H2 dsRNA segments, whereas the capsid protein for P6 was translated from H1 dsRNA. These in vitro translation products were each precipitated by the antiserum to capsid proteins of all three strains, had similar mol. wt. and similar peptide maps. All in vitro translation products competed effectively with native capsid proteins of all of the three strains in immunocompetition assays. These results suggest that the three strains code for a similar capsid protein, and that the information for capsid protein resides in the H2 segment of strain P1 and P4, and in the H1 segment of strain P6. Keywords: UmV, mycovirus, capsid proteins Received 14 April 1987; accepted 6 July 1987.