A point-mutation of viroid 1 switches the potential to transmit through seed.

Viroids are highly structured, single-stranded, non-protein-coding circular RNA pathogens that replicate, spread and elicit severe to mild disease symptoms in sensitive host species. The functions of viroids are thought to be due to a molecular element (or elements) embedded within the small RNA molecule that recruits the host factors responsible for transcription, RNA transportation and regulation of gene expression. viroid 1 (CbVd-1) is distributed worldwide and is known for its characteristic property of having an extremely high frequency of seed transmission.

Characterization of host-dependent mutations of apple fruit crinkle viroid replicating in newly identified experimental hosts suggests maintenance of stem-loop structures in the left-hand half of the molecule is important for replication.

Apple fruit crinkle viroid (AFCVd) is a tentative member of the genus Apscaviroid, family Pospiviroidae. AFCVd has a narrow host range and is known to infect apple, hop and persimmon as natural hosts. In this study, tomato, cucumber and wild hop have been identified as new experimental herbaceous hosts.

Molecular dissection of a dahlia isolate of potato spindle tuber viroid inciting a mild symptoms in tomato.

The dahlia isolate of potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) accumulates slowly and induces mild disease symptoms in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum, cv. Rutgers) plants in contrast to the intermediate isolate (PSTVd-I). The dahlia isolate (PSTVd-D) differs from PSTVd-I in eight locations: 42 and 43 in the terminal left (TL); 64/65, 311, and 312/313 in the pathogenicity (P); 118 and 126 in the variable (V); and 201 in the terminal right (TR) domains.

Absolute stereochemistry of altersolanol A and alterporriols.

The absolute stereochemistry of altersolanol A (1) was established by observing a positive exciton couplet in the circular dichroism (CD) spectrum of the C3,C4-O-bis(2-naphthoyl) derivative 10 and by chemical correlations with known compound 8. Before the discussion, the relative stereochemistry of 1 was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The shielding effect at C7'-OMe group by C1-O-benzoylation established the relative stereochemical relationship between the C8-C8' axial bonding and the C1-C4/C1'-C4' polyol moieties of alterporriols E (3), an atropisomer of the C8-C8' dimer of 1.

Four analogues of spiroleptosphol isolated from Leptosphaeria doliolum.

Spiroleptosphol B (2), spiroleptosphol C (3), norleptosphol C (4) and hydroleptosphol (5) were isolated from ascomycete Leptosphaeria doliolum. Detailed (1)H and (13)C NMR spectral analyses revealed these were structural analogues of spiroleptosphol (1) which we have recently isolated from the same fungi. Spiroleptosphol B (2) carried an unprecedent 5,3-dioxatricyclo[4.

Spiroleptosphol isolated from Leptosphaeria doliolum.

A novel gamma-methylidene-spirobutanolide spirolephtoshol (1) was isolated from ascomycetous fungus Leptosphaeria doliolum as a cytotoxic compound. The relative structure was established by the NMR analysis involving the NOE experiments. Absolute structure of the bicyclic moiety was determined by chemical derivation followed by the CD analysis.