Characterization of Viral-complementary RNA Associated with Polyribosomes from Tobacco Infected with Sonchus Yellow Net Virus

Polyribosomal RNA from tobacco infected with sonchus yellow net virus was resolved by electrophoresis onagarose gels, transferred tonitrocellulose and hybridized to radioactive viral RNA. Polyadenylated RNA contained four major viral complementary species, molecular weights 2.2 x 106, 0.83 x 106, 0.62 x 106 and 0.46 × 106, plus a minor species, molecular weight approx. 3 × 106. No such species could be detected in the non-polyadenylated RNA fraction. The polyadenylated RNA from membrane-bound polyribosomes contained only the 0-83 × 106 and 0-46 x 106 molecular weight RNAs. The sizes of the RNAs were consistent with the expected sizes of messages for the virus proteins, calculated from the molecular weight of these proteins. Sonchus yellow net virus (SYNV) is a member of the rhabdovirus group (Jackson & Christie, 1977). Although at least 38 members of this group infect plants (Peters, 1981), the replicative mechanisms ofthese viruses, in contrast to some of the animal rhabdoviruses, have not been well characterized..The plant and animal rhabdoviruses share many morphological nd biochemical properties. Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) has been extensively studied and its replicativ