First waikavirus infectious clones and vascular expression of green fluorescent protein from maize chlorotic dwarf virus

Plant viruses classified in the genus Waikavirus , family Secoviridae are positive sense single-stranded RNA that include important pathogens of maize (maize chlorotic dwarf virus; MCDV) and rice (rice tungro spherical RTSV). Many aspects molecular biology waikaviruses remain unexplored because experimental challenges lack infectious clones for low titer, phloem-limited, obligately vector-transmitted waikaviruses. Here we report first development waikavirus two MCDV strains, MCDV-S MCDV-M1, insect-free launching infections from these by vascular puncture inoculation. We further developed a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged clone replacing viral p27-encoding sequence with GFP-encoding sequence. GFP-tagged virus moved systemically plants caused symptomatic infection similar to wild type virus, expression GFP. Development is major advance this group agriculturally significant viruses.