Genetic diversity of sweet potato begomoviruses in the United States and identification of a natural recombinant between sweet potato leaf curl virus and sweet potato leaf curl Georgia virus.

In the United States, two sweet potato begomoviruses, sweet potato leaf curl virus (SPLCV) and sweet potato leaf curl Georgia virus (SPLCGV), were previously identified in Louisiana. In recent years, at least seven additional sweet potato begomoviruses have been identified in other parts of the world. In an effort to determine the genetic diversity and distribution of sweet potato begomoviruses in the U.

Alternative splicing and differential subcellular localization of the rat FGF antisense gene product.

Background: GFG/NUDT is a nudix hydrolase originally identified as the product of the fibroblast growth factor-2 antisense (FGF-AS) gene. While the FGF-AS RNA has been implicated as an antisense regulator of FGF-2 expression, the expression and function of the encoded GFG protein is largely unknown. Alternative splicing of the primary FGF-AS mRNA transcript predicts multiple GFG isoforms in many species including rat.

Alternative splicing of the FGF antisense gene: differential subcellular localization in human tissues and esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Overexpression of FGF-2 is associated with tumor recurrence and reduced survival after surgical resection of esophageal cancer, and these risks are reduced in tumors co-expressing the FGF antisense (FGF-AS) RNA. The aim of this study was to characterize the expression of alternatively spliced FGF-AS transcripts and encoded nudix-motif proteins in normal human tissues and in esophageal adenocarcinoma, and to correlate their expression with clinicopathologic findings and outcome. Three alternatively spliced FGF-AS transcripts encoding GFG/NUDT6 isoforms with distinct N termini were detected in various human tissues including esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Evidence that insertion of Tomato ringspot nepovirus NTB-VPg protein in endoplasmic reticulum membranes is directed by two domains: a C-terminal transmembrane helix and an N-terminal amphipathic helix.

The NTB-VPg protein of Tomato ringspot nepovirus is an integral membrane protein found in association with endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-derived membranes active in virus replication. A transmembrane helix present in a hydrophobic region at the C terminus of the NTB domain was previously shown to traverse the membranes, resulting in the translocation of the VPg domain in the lumen. We have now conducted an in planta analysis of membrane-targeting domains within NTB-VPg using in-frame fusions to the green fluorescent protein (GFP).

Inhibitory effects of cystatins on proteolytic activities of the Plum pox potyvirus cysteine proteinases.

In an effort to develop new antiviral strategies effective against potyviruses, several cystatins were evaluated for their ability to inhibit the cysteine proteinases of Plum pox potyvirus (PPV) using in vitro proteolytic assays. The following cystatins were purified as GST fusion proteins and shown to be active against papain:oryzacystatins I and II (OCI and OCII), corn cystatin II (CCII), human stefin A (HSA), the domain 8 of tomato multicystatin (TMC-8) and a large 24kDa tomato cystatin (LTCyst). These cystatins did not inhibit the activity of purified recombinant PPV NIa proteinase, a serine-like cysteine proteinases related to the 3C proteinases of picornaviruses and to chymotrypsin.