DETECTION OF INFECTIOUS TOMATO MOSAIC TOBAMOVIRUS IN FOG AND CLOUDS

Tomato mosaic tobamovirus (ToMV) was detected by enzyme-linked immunos orbent assay and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction-blot hybridization (RT-PCR-BH) in cloud samples collected from the summit o f Whiteface Mountain, NY, and in fog samples from two collection sites along the coast of Maine. The virus was subsequently transmitted to C henopodium quinoa from a composite of RT-PCR-BH-positive concentrates. There was no apparent relationship between the presence of ToMV and s ample collection date, volume, or pH. The RT-PCR products of three clo ud and fog samples and one deionized water sample were identical to on e another and to a stream water isolate of ToMV from Whiteface Mountai n based on nucleotide sequencing of a 347-bp fragment within the coat protein gene and 99.1 and 72.9% similarity to ToMV-L and tobacco mosai c virus-vulgare, respectively.