Viroids: sequence variability and evolution of pathogenic RNA

J. Matoušek
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J. Matoušek: Institute of Plant Molecular Biology Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic

Plant Protection Science, 2002, vol. 38, issue SI1-6thConfEFPP, 173-176

Abstract: Viroids as the smallest pathogenic circular single-stranded pathogenic RNAs form populations of quasi-species, whichhas been recently identified by thermodynamic methods like TGGE pre-selection and heteroduplex analysis. It was foundthat replication under thermal stress led to enormously high level of viroid mutagenesis. Mostly multiple mutants havingnon-random distribution of base changes were found. A specific "hot spots" were identified in the regions, wherea characteristic "pathogenicity domains" are localised in different viroids of the pospiviroidae family. Specific viroidmicroevolution was observed upon artificial inoculation of non-host plant species. Our results suggest that viroid propagationunder physiological stress can be assumed as important factor, which is among others, responsible for an appearanceof viroid quasi-species in the nature. Evolution and new viroid patotypes could accumulate due to environmental stressincluding various pollutants may be a potential danger for cultured plants.

Keywords: viroid mutagenesis; quasi-species; DNA heteroduplexes; stress factors; viroid pathotypes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2002
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:caa:jnlpps:v:38:y:2002:i:si1-6thconfefpp:id:10348-pps

DOI: 10.17221/10348-PPS

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