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Journal of Virology, October 2003, p. 10790-10798, Vol. 77, No. 20
0022-538X/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JVI.77.20.10790-10798.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Coordinate Replication of Alfalfa Mosaic Virus RNAs 1 and 2 Involves cis- and trans-Acting Functions of the Encoded Helicase-Like and Polymerase-Like Domains

Institute of Biology, Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

Received 25 April 2003/ Accepted 15 July 2003

RNAs 1 and 2 of the tripartite genome of alfalfa mosaic virus encode the replicase proteins P1 and P2, respectively, whereas RNA 3 encodes the movement protein and coat protein. Transient expression of wild-type (wt) and mutant viral RNAs and proteins by agroinfiltration of plant leaves was used to study cis- and trans-acting functions of the helicase-like domain in P1 and the polymerase-like domain in P2. Three mutations in conserved motifs of the helicase-like domain of P1 affected one or more steps leading to synthesis of minus-strand RNAs 1, 2, and 3. In leaves containing transiently expressed P1 and P2, replication of wt but not mutant RNA 1 was observed. Apparently, the transiently expressed P1 could not complement the defect in replication of the RNA 1 mutant. Moreover, the transiently expressed wt replicase supported replication of RNA 2, but this replication was blocked in trans by coexpression of mutant RNA 1. However, expression of mutant RNA 1 did not interfere with the replication of RNA 3 by the wt replicase. Similarly, a mutation in the GDD motif encoded by RNA 2 could not be complemented in trans and affected the replication of RNA 1 by a wt replicase, while replication of RNA 3 remained unaffected. In competition assays, the transient wt replicase preferentially replicated RNA 3 over RNAs 1 and 2. The results indicate that one or more functions of P1 and P2 act in cis and point to the existence of a mechanism that coordinates the replication of RNAs 1 and 2.