Sequence determination of the capsid protein gene and flanking regions of tobacco etch virus: Evidence for synthesis and processing of a polyprotein in potyvirus genome expression

R F Allison; J C Sorenson; M E Kelly; F B Armstrong; W G Dougherty

doi:10.1073/pnas.82.12.3969

Sequence determination of the capsid protein gene and flanking regions of tobacco etch virus: Evidence for synthesis and processing of a polyprotein in potyvirus genome expression

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1985 Jun;82(12):3969-72. doi: 10.1073/pnas.82.12.3969.

Authors

R F Allison¹, J C Sorenson, M E Kelly, F B Armstrong, W G Dougherty

Affiliation

¹ Department of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695.

Abstract

The nucleotide sequence of the 3'-terminal portion of the tobacco etch virus (TEV) genome was determined. The 2324-nucleotide sequence represented approximately one-fourth of the TEV genome and included the capsid protein gene and flanking regions. An open reading frame of 2135 nucleotides and an untranslated region of 189 nucleotides adjacent to a polyadenylate tract were identified. The sequence began within an open reading frame, indicating that the initiation codon was upstream of the available sequence data. The sequence of the 20 NH(2)-terminal amino acids of the TEV capsid protein was established chemically. An identical amino acid sequence, predicted from the nucleotide sequence, was located, commencing at amino acid - 263. These data indicated that maturation of the capsid protein required a post-translational cleavage of a larger protein precursor, with a probable cleavage site between the amino acids glutamine and glycine.