Chemical and immunological characterization of cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (watermelon strain) protein

Abstract

The chemical and immunological properties of the protein of cucumber green mottle mosaic virus, watermelon strain (CGMMV-W), are presented. Amino acid analysis, amino-terminal residue (acetylalanine), and carboxyterminal amino acid (alanine) indicate that CGMMV-W is chemically related to cucumber virus 4 (CV-4). The serological relationship of CGMMV-W to CGMMV-C (cucumber strain), TMV-OM (common strain), and TMV-T (tomato strain) was confirmed by reciprocal tests. Heterologous reactions showed different degrees of serological relationship among the four strains. CGMMV-W was found to be more closely related to TMV-OM than to CGMMV-C and TMV-T. The partial amino acid sequences, containing residues 91–122, of CGMMV-W protein were determined and compared with those of other TMV or CGMMV proteins. Fifteen out of 32 amino acids were common to the CGMMV-W and TMV-OM proteins. We think it is high enough to consider that CGMMV-W has an ancestral relationship to TMV.