A phosphorus-containing fraction associated with antiviral activity in Nicotiana spp. carrying the gene for localization of TMV infection

Abstract

The presence of a phosphorus-containing fraction was demonstrated in an antiviral preparation, isolated from TMV-infected Nicotiana glutinosa L. leaves. The occurrence of this fraction was specific to virus infection and not to non-viral necrotic lesions. The fraction, which is neither RNA nor RNA-containing nucleoprotein, was found to be involved in the process of localization of TMV infection in N. glutinosa and N. tabacum cv. Samsun NN plants. This led to the suggestion that the fraction is associated with the N gene which is responsible for the local-lesion reaction in necrotic-responding Nicotiana spp.