Plant & Animal Genomes XI Conference

January 11-15, 2003
Town & Country Convention Center
San Diego, CA

Poster: Gene Isolation
            

MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF CARDAMOM MOSAIC VIRUS INFECTING CARDAMOM

¹ PhD Scholar, Division of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India

² Senior Scientist, Division of Plant Pathology, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta, Karnataka,5 60089, India

³ Associate Professor, Division of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India

Cardamom mosaic virus, belonging to the family Potyviridae causes a severe disease (‘katte’ or mosaic) of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum Maton) which is a major spice crop indigenous to South India. Purified preparations from virus infected plants contained numerous flexuous rod shaped particles measuring 680-720 nm in length and 10-12 nm in diameter. The viral coat protein from purified virus preparation was analyzed by SDS-PAGE and molecular weight (38 kDa) was determined. Of the different potyvirus antisera tested none of them reacted to cardamom mosaic virus in ELISA indicating that it is a serologically distinct species. The 3’ terminal region of the viral genome containing the partial NIb, the complete coat protein gene and 3’ untranslated region (UTR) of cardamom mosaic virus was amplified by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and a product of 1.8 kb was obtained. This amplified product was cloned in pUC 19 vector and sequenced. The coat protein sequence of cardamom mosaic virus was compared with the coat protein sequence of other viruses belonging to the family potyviridae. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that cardamom mosaic virus is a distinct species.