[Translation of the genomic and subgenomic RNAs of cucumber virus 3 in a cell free system from wheat embryos and in Xenopus laevis oocytes].

The purified preparation of cucumber virus 3 (CV3) (one of the member of tobamovirus group) contains, besides full-length (2.0 X 10(6)) genomic RNA, a short (0.24 X 10(6)) subgenomic RNA coding for coat protein in Xenopus laevis oocytes as well as in the cell-free protein synthesizing system from wheat embryos. The similarity of the polypeptide coded by short CV3 RNA in vitro to natural CV3 coat protein is proved by the similarity of their molecular weights, antigenic specificity and by the similarity of the peptide maps. Individual CV3 genomic RNA coded in vitro for polypeptide 130 X 10(3), and was incapable of coding for the coat protein. The results of translation of an artificial mixture of short and full-length RNAs suggest that it is the short RNA that is preferentially translated.