Identification of genes directly and indirectly involved in the insect transmission of African cassava mosaic geminivirus by Bemisia tabaci

The inability to transmit progeny virus resulting from the cloned component s of an isolate of African cassava mosaic virus originating from Kenya (ACM V-K) has been shown to be due to defects in both genomic components. This w as achieved by the production of infectious pseudorecombinants between ACMV -K and the cloned components of a whitefly-transmissible ACMV isolate origi nating from Nigeria (ACMV-NOg). The exchange of gene fragments between ACMV -K and ACMV-NOg has been used to demonstrate that the defects responsible f or lack of transmissibility reside on the coat protein and DNA-B C1 gene of ACMV-K. The significance of these finding with respect to the present unde rstanding of the function of these gene products are discussed.