Publication Date

1-1-1997

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Stenger, Drake C.

Degree Name

B.S. (Bachelor of Science)

Legacy Department

Department of Biological Sciences

Abstract

The whitefly-transmitted bipartite geminiviruses cause substantial losses of pepper, cucurbits, beans, and other crops in regions of Mexico, the Carribean, and the southwestern United States. In this project, several Subgroup ID geminiviruses were isolated, cloned, and characterized for the first time. Viruses studied in these experiments included TPV, PMTV, SGMV, BCMoV, SLCV, STLCV, and CdTV. Dimeric viral clones were constructed and assayed for infectivity by mechanical inoculations and gene gun inoculations. Cognate viral DNA infectivity studies (e.g. PMTV A and PMTV B) and noncognate viral DNA infectivity studies (e.g. PMTV A and SGMV B) were performed in order to determine which viruses may form infectious pseudorecombinants. If the replication and movement capabilities of the viral DNA components of two different viruses are compatible, then it is likely that these viruses are strains of the same virus. Further characterization of each viral DNA clone was obtained by restriction site mapping and Southern blot analysis. The plant infectivity studies and molecular characterization provided information about putative pseudorecombination of viral components and possible relationships among geminiviruses of similar host range and geographic origin.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references.

Extent

29 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

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