The cucumoviral 2b protein is a viral counterdefence factor that interferes
with the establishment of virus-induced gene silencing in plants. Syntheti
c peptides were used to generate an antibody to the 2b protein encoded by t
he Fny strain of cucumber mosaic virus (Fny-CMV). This polyclonal antibody
was able to recognize the Fny-CMV 2b protein in a 10 000 g pellet fraction
of infected tobacco. No protein of equivalent size was detected in mock-ino
culated or tobacco mosaic virus-infected samples. This represents the first
demonstration of 2b protein expression by a subgroup I strain of CMV. Subc
ellular fractionation experiments on CMV-infected tobacco leaf tissue showe
d that the Fny-CMV 2b protein accumulated within a fraction that sedimented
at forces of less than 5000 g and that the 2b protein was solubilized only
by treatment with urea or SDS. These results suggested that the 2b protein
associates either with the nucleus or cytoskeleton of the host cell. Furth
er analysis showed that the 2b protein was enriched in a fraction that sedi
mented through a 2.2 M sucrose cushion. This fraction was also enriched in
histones, suggesting that the CMV 2b protein associates preferentially with
the host cell nucleus.