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Molecular Plant Pathology

Modifications of Nucleic Acid Precursors That Inhibit Plant Virus Multiplication. William O. Dawson, Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside 92521; Carol Boyd, Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside 92521. Phytopathology 77:477-480. Accepted for publication 4 April 1986. Copyright 1987 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-77-477.

The relationship between chemical modifications of normal nucleic acid base or nucleoside precursors and ability to inhibit multiplication of tobacco mosaic virus or cowpea chlorotic mottle virus in disks from mechanically inoculated leaves was tested with 131 analogues. Chemicals tested were selected from 10 general classes of modifications to determine the types of modifications of normal nucleic acid precursors that have greater probabilities of inhibiting virus multiplication. No inhibitory chemicals were found in several classes. Classes of modifications with the highest proportion of antiviral activity were modification of the sugar moiety (five of 13 chemicals were inhibitory) and addition of abnormal side groups (three of seven chemicals were inhibitory). Eight new inhibitors of virus multiplication were identified: 6-aminocytosine; 6-ethylmercaptopurine; isopentenyladenosine; 2-thiopyrimidine; 2,4-dithiopyrimidine; melamine; 5’-iodo-5’-deoxyadenosine; and 5’-methyl-5’-deoxythioadenosine.