FURTHER EVIDENCE FOR THE RECOGNITION OF ULLUCUS MILD MOTTLE VIRUS AS A DISTINCT TOBAMOVIRUS

The affinities of Ullucus mild mottle virus (UMMV), purified by a modi fied procedure, were examined by immunoblotting and probing with antis era to five distinct tobamoviruses. RNA, isolated from purified virus, was used for in vitro protein translation in a wheat germ system and the products examined by denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . The results of these investigations, together with a study of the do uble-stranded RNAs associated with infection, confirm that UMMV is a d istinct tobamovirus which has close affinities with tobacco mosaic, to mato mosaic and cucumber green mottle tobamoviruses and more distant r elationships with ribgrass mosaic and odontoglossum ringspot tobamovir uses.