Takaaki Kusumi

Nucleotide sequence of the 3′-terminal region of citrus tatter leaf virus RNA

The 3′-terminal sequence of citrus tatter leaf virus lily isolate (CTLV-L) was determined from cloned cDNA. The sequence contains two open reading frames (ORFs). ORF1 encodes a protein that contains consensus sequences associated with the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. ORF2, which is in a different reading frame within ORF1, can encode a 36 kD protein, putatively identified as a movement protein. CTLV-L coat protein (CP) was found to be located in the C-terminal region of the polyprotein encoded by ORF1. Evolutionary relationships and classification of capilloviruses is discussed.

Nucleotide sequence of the coat protein coding region of tulip breaking virus

AbstractcDNA of tulip breaking virus-tulip (TBV-tulip) RNA was synthesized and cloned inE. coli. One clone that contains a 4.5 kb insert was identified by restriction enzyme analysis, dot immunobinding assay (DIBA), and partial sequencing. Then 1479 nucleotides of the 3′-terminus of the clone were sequenced and revealed that the sequence contains one open reading frame (ORF), followed by an untranslated region of 255 nucleotides and a poly(A) tract. The deduced amino acid sequence was found to include the C terminus of the predicted RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and the coat protein. A glutamine-alanine dipeptide was identified as a putative NIa protease cleavage site at the N terminus of the coat protein.

Molecular breeding of flower color of Torenia hybrida

Molecular breeding is a powerful method of plant breeding because it can change a specific characteristic of a plant without changing other desirable characteristics. Flower color is predominantly influenced by two types of pigments; flavonoids and carotenoids. The anthocyanin biosynthetic pathways of many plants have been well established (Holton et al, 1995) and conserved (Fig. 1). Chalcone synthase (CHS) and dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) are the first specific enzymes in flavonoid and anthocyanin biosynthesis, respectively. The presence of flavonoid 3′5′-hydroxylase (F3′5′H), cytochrome P-450 (Holton et al, 1993), is almost critical to the production of blue to purple anthocyanins. The flower color is reddish in its absence.