VECTORS BASED ON MAIZE STREAK VIRUS CAN REPLICATE TO HIGH COPY NUMBERS IN MAIZE PLANTS

The genome of maize streak virus (MSV) consists of one molecule of cir cular, single-stranded DNA of 2.7 kb. A reporter gene (bar) coding for phosphinothricin acetyltransferase was inserted into the small non-co ding region of the MSV genome. The recombinant bar containing MSV vect ors were introduced into maize seedlings via agroinfection. The chimer ic viral DNA was found to replicate to high copy numbers in maize leav es resistant to the application of the herbicide Basta. This establish es the usefulness of MSV as an efficient replicating vector in cells o f maize plants.