Poster: Plant-pathogen interactions

Abs # 556: Characterization and gene expression analysis of geminivirus-infected Arabidopsis thaliana.

Presenter:	Ascencio-Ibanez, Jose T, jtascenc@unity.ncsu.edu
Authors	Ascencio-Ibanez, Jose T (A)   Chu, Tzu-Ming  (B)   Hanley-Bowdoin, Linda  (A)
Affiliations:	(A): North Carolina State University (B): SAS Institute

Cabbage Leaf Curl Virus (CaLCuV), a single-stranded DNA virus of the Begomovirus genus, infects Arabidopsis thaliana Col-O. We examined the location and timing of CaLCuV infection in Arabidopsis plants grown under short day conditions. Plants at 16-18 leaves stage were inoculated using Agrobacterium tumefaciens to deliver CaLCuV DNAs A and B. The infection was monitored for the presence of viral DNA and coat protein (CP) by DNA hybridization and ELISA, respectively. Viral DNA and CP were detected several days before symptom appearance, with viral DNA accumulation occurring prior to CP synthesis. In symptomatic plants, the highest levels of viral DNA were in leaves 7-9. These experiments are the basis for gene profiling experiments comparing Arabidopsis mRNA levels in CaLCuV-infected and mock-inoculated plants.