Desiccation Alters the Stability and Distribution of Pea Seed_borne Mosaic Virus in Pea (Pisum sativum) Cotyledon Cells

As a seed transmitted pathogen, pea seed_borne mosaic virus (PSbMV) not only replicates in embryonic cells but can also withstand seed desiccation. To understand the mechanism of PSbMV tolerance to seed desiccation, the authors compared the stability of viral coat protein (CP) and the distribution of viral particles in the cotyledon cells of pea (Pisum sativum L.) embryos collected before and after the dehydration process. Before dehydration, when the embryo was fresh and immature, degradation of CP was observed and a predominantly perinuclear distribution of viral particles in the cotyledon cells was evident. After dehydration, when the embryo was dry and mature, degradation of CP did not occur and the perinuclear viral distribution disappeared. Instead, aggregates containing PSbMV CP were found in the cytoplasm. Electron microscopy showed that these aggregates were composed of PSbMV particles. The formation of PSbMV particle aggregates is apparently triggered by seed dehydration and may be favorable to the virus survival in the desiccated embryonic cells.

Development of a Transient Assay for Investigating the Activation of Pea Hsp70 Gene Promoter by Potyviral Cistrons

建立了一个瞬时表达系统以研究豌豆种传花叶病毒 (PSbMV ,一种马铃薯Y类病毒 )不同基因对豌豆(PisumsativumL .)Hsp70基因启动子激活能力的差异。构建了豌豆Hsp70基因启动子指导下的GUS基因的表达载体 ,同时还制备了 35S启动子指导下的PSbMVP1和P3基因的表达载体。以表达载体DNA包被的金粉做子弹 ,利用基因枪对豌豆离体叶片进行共轰击实验 ,结果表明 ,PSbMVP1和P3基因在激活豌豆Hsp70基因启动子的能力上存在明显差异。