Construction of infectious clones of double-stranded DNA viruses of plants using citrus yellow mosaic virus as an example.

Double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses of plants are believed to be plant pararetroviruses. Their genome is replicated by reverse transcription of a larger than unit-length terminally redundant RNA transcript of the viral genomic DNA using the virus-encoded replicase. In order to produce a cloned, infectious viral genome, the clone must be constructed in a binary vector and be longer than the full, unit-length viral genome. The clone can then be transferred by Agrobacterium-assisted inoculation into a suitable host plant to induce virus infection.