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Etiology

Properties of an Unusual Strain of Cauliflower Mosaic Virus. J. E. Schoelz, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40546; R. J. Shepherd(2), and R. D. Richins(3). (2)(3)Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40546. Phytopathology 76:451-454. Accepted for publication 31 October 1985. Copyright 1986 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-76-451.

A virus from naturally infected Brassica campestris systemically infected Datura stramonium and certain other solanaceous plants. The virus, designated D4, induced atypical veinal necrosis on Brassica species. D4 was transmitted by aphids. It infected a variety of cruciferous and solanaceous species but no plants in other families after mechanical inoculation. Purified virus particles were spherical and about 50 nm in diameter. It reacted with cauliflower mosaic virus antiserum and had inclusion bodies characteristic of a caulimovirus. The viral DNA was purified from turnips, then cloned to the E. coli vector pBR 322 and propagated in bacteria. The cloned virus was infectious on B. campestris when excised from the vector and it induced the same necrotic symptoms as the original virus. The restriction endonuclease map of the cloned viral DNA was similar to that of cauliflower mosaic virus. It was concluded that the virus is a strain of cauliflower mosaic virus that induces unusual symptoms and has an unusual host range.