Translation of potyvirus RNA in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate: identification of nuclear inclusion proteins as products of tobacco etch virus RNA translation and cylindrical inclusion protein as a product of the potyvirus genome.

The translations of tobacco etch virus (TEV) RNA and pepper mottle virus (PeMV) RNA in the mRNA-dependent rabbit reticulocyte lysate produced products which comigrated with potyviral inclusion proteins on polyacrylamide gels. The TEV RNA translation products comigrating with the 49,000 and 54,000 molecular weight TEV nuclear inclusion proteins were also immunoprecipitated by antisera specific to the nuclear inclusion proteins. The proteolytic peptide map of the comigrating in vitro translation products for TEV RNA was similar to that generated by the nuclear inclusion proteins. The PeMV RNA translation product comigrating with the cylindrical (pinwheel) inclusion protein was immunoprecipitated by antiserum to PeMV cylindrical inclusion protein. These results provided direct evidence that the inclusions associated with potyviruses consist of virus-coded, nonstructural proteins.