Open AccessA double‐stranded RNA mycovirus in Botrytis cinerea
Author(s) -
Vilches Sonia,
Castillo Antonio
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1997.tb12696.x
Subject(s) - mycelium , rna , electron microscope , virus like particle , biology , botrytis cinerea , agarose gel electrophoresis , virus , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , dna , virology , biochemistry , botany , gene , physics , optics , recombinant dna
In wild‐type Botrytis cinerea CVg25 strain we have detected the presence of extrachromosomal genetic elements corresponding to double‐stranded RNA molecules. These genetic elements have been designated L, M 1 and M 2 with molecular sizes of 8.3, 2.0 and 1.4 kb, respectively. The visualization by electron microscopy of mycelium ultrathin sections from B. cinerea CVg25 showed the presence of isometric virus‐like particles of about 40 nm in diameter. Linear sucrose gradient centrifugation of mycelium‐free extracts was done to determine if the double‐stranded RNAs were associated with virus‐like particles. The gradient profile obtained at 260 and 280 nm revealed a major peak that was analyzed by both agarose‐gel electrophoresis and electron microscopy. It was observed that only the L‐double‐stranded RNA molecule copurified with isometric virus‐like particles. These virus‐like particles had a similar morphology and size as those detected by electron microscopy in the mycelium sections. These results suggest that only the L‐double‐stranded RNA would be encapsidated.