Gene I, a potential cell-to-cell movement locus of cauliflower mosaic virus, encodes an RNA-binding protein.

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.88.6.2476
• Publication Date: 2006-05-31T11:56:31Z
• Authors: V Citovsky; D Knorr; P Zambryski
• Keywords: Plasmodesma; Movement protein; Cauliflower mosaic virus; Transcription

Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) is a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) pararetrovirus capable of cell-to-cell movement presumably through intercellular connections, the plasmodesmata, infected plant. This likely mediated by specific viral protein encoded gene I locus. Here we report that purified binds RNA and single-stranded (ssDNA) but not dsDNA regardless nucleotide sequence specificity. The binding highly cooperative, affinity for 10-fold higher than ssDNA. CaMV replicates reverse transcription 358 homologous to entire genome. We propose 35S may be involved in as an intermediate transported plasmodesmata RNA-gene complex.