The coat protein gene of pea early browning virus (PEBV) was replaced
with that of another tobravirus, tobacco rattle virus (TRV strain PPK2
0). The recombinant virus multiplied efficiently in the systemic host
Nicotiana benthamiana and, on the local lesion host Phaseolus vulgaris
, produced symptoms typical of PEBV rather than TRV showing that viral
coat protein is not a determinant for lesion morphology. Both viral R
NAs were encapsidated by TRV coat protein although the shorter particl
es (encapsidated RNA-2) did not form a discrete population. Evidence i
s presented to suggest involvement of nucleotide sequences upstream of
the coat protein gene in virus particle assembly.