Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence of the 30K and the coat protein cistron of TMV (tomato strain) genome.

The cDNA copies of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)-tomato strain (L) genome were cloned by the method of Okayama and Berg (Mol. Cell. Biol. 2, 161-170. (1982)) and the sequence of 1,614 nucleotides at the 3' end was determined. The sequence encompasses the 30K and the coat protein cistron which are located in residues 685-1, 479 and 203-682 from the 3' end of the genome respectively. The close relationship between the tomato and the common strain was shown on the level of the nucleotide sequence. Highly homologous regions are found in the 3' non-coding region, the assembly origin and the 5' flanking region of the 30K protein cistron. The comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence between the tomato and the common strain shows that the 30K protein is composed of the conserved N-terminal four-fifth and the highly divergent region near the C-terminus.