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Correspondence to Author: M.IEMIECKI, 

Department of Virology, Agricultural University, Binnenhaven I t, Wageningen, The Netherlands.

Introduction: Sowthistle yellow vein virus (SYVV) is an enveloped bacilliform virus that infects sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus L.) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). It is spread persistently by the aphid I-Iyperomyzus lactucae L. Vein banding and vein clearing are indicators of infection in these plants (Duffus, I963; Richardson & Sylvester, I968 ; Peters, I970). SYVV has been assigned to the rhabdovirus group based on the morphological and physicochemical data that are currently known. The shape of rhabdoviruses that infect plant and vertebrate cells varies both in situ and in vitro, as well as in terms of where in the cell they develop and envelope (Peters & Schultz, I975). Comparative research on the structural proteins of the rhabdoviruses infecting the two types of cells is necessary in light of these distinctions.
Similarly, information regarding the location of rhabdovirus structural proteins has been derived nearly solely from viruses that infect vertebrates, most notably rabies and VSV. According to various theories (Wagner et al., I972; Knudson, I973; Emerson & Yu, I975; Imblum & Wagner, I975), the G protein is connected to the surface projections, the N protein is the major nucleocapsid protein, the L and NS proteins are minor nucleocapsid proteins implicated in replicase activity, and the M protein or proteins are connected to the virus membrane. The location of the structural proteins of rhabdoviruses that infect plants is not well understood.

METHODS:Multiplication and purification of viruses. Sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus L.) plants cultivated in a typical glasshouse were used to propagate SYVV. Dr. J. E. Dougus kindly contributed the original viral isolation, which was used throughout. Four to five week old plants were inoculated with SYVV-infected aphids (Hyperomyzus lactucae L.). For virus purification, infected leaves exhibiting vein clearing symptoms (14 to 21 days post-infection) were employed. The virus was cleansed using Ziemiecki & Peters’ (r976) modified version of Peters & Kitajama’s (I97o) technique.

RESULTS:After the purified virus was electrophoresed on5,7,5, and IO acrylamide gels, four major and one minor protein were seen. The protein band patterns were unaffected by the addition of 2-mercaptoethanol to the disruption and electrophoresis buffers. The densitometer pattern of isolated viral proteins electrophoresed on a 7”5 acrylamide gel is displayed in Figure I, trace (a). According to Wagner et al.’s proposal (I972), the structural proteins’ nomenclature has been adopted. The structural proteins’ estimated weights, as determined by IO acrylamide gel calculations, were I5OOOO (high molecular weight protein), 83ooo (G), 6o0oo (N), 44ooo (MI), and 36ooo (M2). The minor high weight protein content differed depending on the preparation.

Citation:

M.IEMIECKI. Characterization and Location of Sowthistle Yellow Vein Virus Proteins. The Journal of Virology 2024.