TMV recombinants encoding fused foreign transmembrane domains to the CP subunit caused local necrotic response on susceptible tobacco

With regard to the effects of various foreign peptides fused to the coat protein subunits on the infectivity of corresponding TMV recombinants, some of TMV recombinants were found to induce necrotic local lesions on the inoculated leaves of susceptible tobacco. This paper reported that there existed a group of TMV recombinants in which the fused foreign peptides contained a transmembrane domain according to the predictions by three programs of SOSUI, TMpred and DAS. Further studies showed for the first time that a foreign transmembrane domain in a fused peptide of the corresponding TMV recombinant would result in the local lesions on the susceptible tobacco leaves. In addition, it was concluded that none of the TMV recombinants that systematically infected susceptible tobacco contained a transmembrane domain in the coat protein subunits.