Site-specific deletion in cauliflower mosaic virus DNA: possible involvement of RNA splicing and reverse transcription.

A frequent site-specific deletion was observed in the life cycle of cauliflower mosaic virus (S strain). Analysis of the sequence around the deletion site and the parental sequence implied that the deletion was promoted at sequences similar to the donor and acceptor consensus sequences of RNA splicing, designated as the deletion donor and acceptor sequences, respectively. To elucidate the mechanism of this site-specific deletion, point mutations were introduced into the deletion donor sequence (GT to GG or GA transversion). Deletion at the original deletion donor site did not occur in these mutants, instead, new (cryptic) donor sites were activated. All of these activated cryptic sites had sequences similar to the splicing consensus sequence. In all cases except one, the original deletion acceptor site was used. These results can be most readily explained by postulating that the site-specific deletion occurs by reverse transcription of spliced viral RNA. This frequent site-specific deletion was not observed in other strains. For a virus which replicates by reverse transcription, a mechanism to regulate the rate of splicing is required to ensure the intactness of the viral genome. We discuss the possibility that the S strain has a mutation in this regulatory mechanism.