RNA silencing: an antiviral mechanism.

RNA silencing is an evolutionarily conserved sequence-specific gene-inactivation system that also functions as an antiviral mechanism in higher plants and insects. To overcome antiviral RNA silencing, viruses express silencing-suppressor proteins which can counteract the host silencing-based antiviral process. After the discovery of virus-encoded silencing suppressors, it was shown that these viral proteins can target one or more key points in the silencing machinery. Here we review recent progress in our understanding of the mechanism and function of antiviral RNA silencing in plants, and on the virus's counterattack by expression of silencing-suppressor proteins. We also discuss emerging evidence that RNA silencing and expression of viral silencing-suppressor proteins are tools forged as a consequence of virus-host coevolution for fine-tuning host-pathogen coexistence.

The role of the C-terminal region of olive latent virus 1 coat protein in host systemic infection.

A full-length cDNA clone of olive latent virus 1 (OLV-1), a member of the genus Necrovirus, family Tombusviridae, was subjected to site-directed mutagenesis, and coat protein gene mutants were constructed. A mutant clone, denoted Delta3297, was obtained by deleting the nucleotide in position 3297, thus inducing a frameshift and replacing the last 49 amino acids of the viral coat protein (CP) by a shorter sequence of 39 amino acids. This mutant was viable, stable, able to synthesize a smaller CP, and able to give rise to the formation of apparently intact virus particles. Cell-to-cell movement of Delta3297 in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves was not affected, but, contrary to wild type OLV-1, it failed to spread systemically. These results indicate that virion formation is necessary but not sufficient for long-distance movement for OLV-1 and highlights the role of the CP carboxy-terminal domain in systemic infection.

Application of a hydrodynamic model to microencapsulation by coacervation.

The role of the hydrodynamic conditions in determining the characteristics of microcapsules made by coacervation was investigated in this study. The model proposed by Armenante and Kirwan, regarding the mass transfer to microcapsules in a turbulent agitated system, was applied. The working hypothesis was that the microcapsules are formed in microeddies generated by the agitation source. The dimensions of the microeddies, calculated in the vicinity of the agitation source according to Armenante and Kirwan, depend on the physical properties of the liquid medium and are inversely proportional to the power exchanged from the agitation source of the system. The power was determined according to the hydrodynamic rules developed by Rushton et al. The experimental results confirmed the hypothesis of the model. Indeed, a good relationship was found between the calculated size of the microeddies and the measured diameter of the microcapsules. Moreover, the distribution error (the standard deviation of the microcapsule size frequency distribution curve) was found to be proportional to the mean diameter value of the microcapsules and microeddies. This can be explained considering that the microeddies diameter increases by moving away from the agitation source and, consequently, a distribution of microeddies of difference sizes is present in the medium. The distribution error, which represents the difference between the smaller and the larger diameters, is inversely proportional to the exchanged power and, consequently, proportional to the mean diameter.

Synthesis of infectious transcripts of olive latent virus 1: genes required for RNA replication and virus movement.

Genomic RNA of olive latent virus 1 (OLV-1) contains five open reading frames (ORFs) encoding proteins of 23, 82, 8, 6 and 30 (CP) kDa. A full-length cDNA copy of OLV-1RNA was prepared and cloned in a low-copy-number vector (pMUC-19) downstream of or T7 RNA polymerase promoter. Transcripts derived from this template, denoted pMUC-OLV, were highly infectious when inoculated in local and systemic hosts and infected tissues contained virus-like particles. Genes required for replication and virus movement were mapped by site-directed and deletion mutogenesis of the pMUC-OLV. ORF1 and ORF2 mutants were not viable, suggesting that replication requires the 23 and 82 kDa proteins. The 8 and 6 kDa polypeptides were involved in cell-to-cell movement, since their absence did not interfere with RNA replication but prevented systemic infection of inoculated plants. Mutant clones in R and S domains of the CP gene could replicate, but they did not systemically infect Nicotiana benthamiana, indicating that the CP gene is required for OLV-1 long-distance translocation. Mutant clones with large deletions in the CP gene were not viable, probably due to loss of 3'-proximal sequences required for RNA replication.

[Copper contamination of Italian tomato products (author's transl)]. / Contaminazione da rame di succhi e concentrati di pomodoro di produzione nazionale

This study reports the results of analysis concerning some chemical characteristics of 63 samples of tomato juice and paste. Copper was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry and its average content was 32 ppm. This is not a critical value for human health and results below the upper limit provided by law of several european and not european countries.