THE CDNA SEQUENCE AND INFECTIOUS TRANSCRIPTS OF PEANUT STRIPE VIRUS

A full-length cDNA clone of the blotch isolate of the peanut stripe po tyvirus (PStV) RNA genome was constructed downstream from the bacterio phage SP6 RNA polymerase promoter. The full-length PStV cDNA clone (PS tVSF9) was sequenced and compared to the previously published sequence of PStV-B. In vitro-synthesized PStV transcripts capped with m(7)Gppp G were infectious in Nicotiana benthamiana plants, and the progeny vir us was aphid transmissible. To confirm the origin of infection, a muta nt PStV (PStVDAE), with a Gly(14) to Glu mutation in the coat protein- encoding gene, was constructed. Transcripts from PStVDAE produced symp toms indistinguishable from native or PStVSF9 virus, but was not trans mitted by aphids.