NUCLEOTIDE-SEQUENCE AND IN-VITRO TRANSLATION OF THE COAT PROTEIN GENE OF CYMBIDIUM MOSAIC-VIRUS

The nucleotide sequence of the coat protein gene of cymbidium mosaic virus (CyMV) has been determined from a cDNA clone that encompassed the 3'-region of the virus genome. The 0.75 kb coat protein open reading frame (ORF) codes for a 24kD polypeptide. The coat protein coding region was separated from the 3'-poly(A) terminal of the viral genome by an 80 base noncoding region. The derived amino acid sequence of this ORF showed considerable homology with other potexvirus coat protein sequences, notably with narcissus mosaic virus (NMV), potato virus X (PVX), and white clover mosaic virus (WC1MV). In vitro expression of the CyMV coat protein gene was carried out by T7 RNA polymerase on the linearized cDNA clone template, followed by in vitro translation of the purified transcript in wheat germ extract. One of the translated products was found to comigrate with the coat protein of the virus at about 24 kD, as determined by NaDodSO4-PAGE. This translated product was also found to crossreact with antibodies raised against CyMV.