Mutation and replacement of the 16-kDa protein gene in RNA-1 of tobacco rattle virus.

The function of the 16-kDa protein encoded by tobacco rattle virus (TRV) RNA-1 was investigated by a mutational analysis of the 16-kDa protein gene. Transcripts of TRV RNA-1 produced from a full-length cDNA clone of TRV RNA-1 (SYM strain) remained infectious when the 16-kDa protein gene was disrupted by premature termination codons and a deletion which removed 73% of the coding region. A deletion which included the intergenic region between the 29-kDa protein gene and the 16-kDa protein gene, the entire 16-kDa protein coding region, and 57% of the 3' noncoding region was not infectious. Transcripts in which the 16-kDa protein coding region was replaced by the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) (L strain) coat protein gene were also infectious and expressed TMV coat protein in infected tissue. Inclusion of the TMV origin of assembly sequence in the chimaeric constructs resulted in the accumulation of TMV-like virus particles in infected tissue.