Biomaterial Database

Virus-like particles associated with banana bunchy top disease contain small single-stranded DNA. 1991

R M Harding, and T M Burns, and J L Dale

Centre for Molecular Biotechnology, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.

Virus-like particles were purified from banana plants with banana bunchy top disease. These particles were isometric with a diameter of 18 to 20 nm and a density of 1.28 to 1.30 g/ml in caesium sulphate. Associated with these particles were an ssDNA of about 1 kb and one major protein of Mr 20,100. DsDNA was synthesized from nucleic acid extracts from these particles and cloned. One clone, pBT338, hybridized specifically (i) with sap extracts from plants infected with banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) but not with sap extracts from healthy plants and (ii) with the small ssDNA in nucleic acid extracts from infected plants and virus-like particles. Banana bunchy top disease was transmitted from infected to healthy bananas by aphid inoculation and it was demonstrated that the small ssDNA was transmitted with the disease. It is probable that these particles represent the virions of BBTV containing small ssDNA and that the virus resembles subterranean clover stunt virus more than any other known virus.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D010935	Plant Diseases	Diseases of plants.	Disease, Plant,Diseases, Plant,Plant Disease
D010942	Plant Viruses	Viruses parasitic on plants.	Phytophagineae,Plant Virus,Virus, Plant,Viruses, Plant
D002213	Capsid	The outer protein protective shell of a virus, which protects the viral nucleic acid. Capsids are composed of repeating units (capsomers or capsomeres) of CAPSID PROTEINS which when assembled together form either an icosahedral or helical shape.	Procapsid,Prohead,Capsids,Procapsids,Proheads
D003001	Cloning, Molecular	The insertion of recombinant DNA molecules from prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic sources into a replicating vehicle, such as a plasmid or virus vector, and the introduction of the resultant hybrid molecules into recipient cells without altering the viability of those cells.	Molecular Cloning
D004277	DNA, Single-Stranded	A single chain of deoxyribonucleotides that occurs in some bacteria and viruses. It usually exists as a covalently closed circle.	Single-Stranded DNA,DNA, Single Stranded,Single Stranded DNA
D004279	DNA, Viral	Deoxyribonucleic acid that makes up the genetic material of viruses.	Viral DNA
D004591	Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel	Electrophoresis in which a polyacrylamide gel is used as the diffusion medium.	Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis,SDS-PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-PAGE,Gel Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide,SDS PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-PAGEs
D005638	Fruit	The fleshy or dry ripened ovary of a plant, enclosing the seed or seeds.	Berries,Legume Pod,Plant Aril,Plant Capsule,Aril, Plant,Arils, Plant,Berry,Capsule, Plant,Capsules, Plant,Fruits,Legume Pods,Plant Arils,Plant Capsules,Pod, Legume,Pods, Legume
D014771	Virion	The infective system of a virus, composed of the viral genome, a protein core, and a protein coat called a capsid, which may be naked or enclosed in a lipoprotein envelope called the peplos.	Virus Particle,Viral Particle,Viral Particles,Particle, Viral,Particle, Virus,Particles, Viral,Particles, Virus,Virions,Virus Particles