Mutagenic analysis of Potato Virus X movement protein (TGBp1) and the coat protein (CP): in vitro TGBp1–CP binding and viral RNA translation activation

SUMMARY Previously, we have shown that encapsidated Potato virus X (PVX) RNA was non‐translatable in vitro , but could be converted into a translatable form by binding of the PVX movement protein TGBp1 to one end of the virion or by coat protein (CP) phosphorylation. Here, a mutagenic analysis of PVX CP and TGBp1 was used to identify the regions involved in TGBp1–CP binding and translational activation of PVX RNA by TGBp1. It was found that the C‐terminal (C‐ter) 10/18 amino acids region was not essential for virus‐like particle (VP) assembly from CP and RNA. However, the VPs assembled from the CP lacking C‐ter 10/18 amino acids were incapable of TGBp1 binding and being translationally activated. It was suggested that the 10‐amino‐acid C‐ter regions of protein subunits located at one end of a polar helical PVX particle contain a domain accessible to TGBp1 binding and PVX remodelling. The non‐translatable particles assembled from the C‐ter mutant CP could be converted into a translatable form by CP phosphorylation. The TGBp1–CP binding activity was preserved unless a conservative motif IV was removed from TGBp1. By contrast, TGBp1‐dependent activation of PVX RNA translation was abolished by deletions of various NTPase/helicase conservative motifs and their combinations. The motif IV might be essential for TGBp1–CP binding, but insufficient for PVX RNA translation activation. The evidence to discriminate between these two events, i.e. TGBp1 binding to the CP‐helix and TGBp1‐dependent RNA translation activation, is discussed.