The capsid protein (CP) of tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) is the only known component of the virus coat. Here, we identify TYLCV CP as a single-stranded (ss) DNA binding protein. Purified TYLCV CP bound ssDNA in a highly cooperative and sequence-nonspecific fashion. TYLCV CP-ssDNA complexes were resistant to nucleolytic digestion and remained stable at relatively high salt concentrations...

While the management of biological invasions is often characterized by a series of single-specieg decisions, invasive species exist within larger food webs. These biotic interactions can alter the impact of control/eradication programs and may cause suppression efforts to inadvertently facilitate invasion spread and impact. We document the rapid replacement of the invasive Bemisia Middle East-A...

The whitefly Bemisia tabaci is a major pest to agricultural crops. It transmits begomoviruses, such as Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), in a circular, persistent fashion. Transcriptome analyses revealed that B. tabaci knottin genes were responsive to various stresses. Upon ingestion of tomato begomoviruses, two of the four knottin genes were upregulated, knot-1 (with the highest expressio...

Thrips-borne tospoviruses cause severe damage to crops worldwide. In this investigation, tobacco lines transgenic for individual WLm constructs containing the conserved motifs of the L RNA-encoded RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (L) gene of Watermelon silver mottle virus (WSMoV) were generated by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The WLm constructs included: (i) translatable WLm in a sense or...

The effects of elevated atmospheric ozone (O₃) levels on herbivorous insects have been well studied, but little is known about the combined effects of elevated O₃ and virus infection on herbivorous insect performance. Using open-top chambers in the field, we determined the effects of elevated O₃ and Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) infection on wild-type (Wt) tomato and 35S tomato (jasmoni...

Rojas, A. 2004. A complex of Begomoviruses affecting tomato crops in Nicaragua. Doctor’s dissertation ISSN 1401-6249, ISBN 91-576-6772-1 Diseases caused by begomoviruses (family Geminiviridae, genus Begomovirus) constitute a serious constraint to vegetable production in Nicaragua as they are associated with large economical losses. This thesis was done in an effort to identify and characterize ...

Transcriptase reverse polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) and dot blot hybridization with digoxigenin-labeled probes were applied for the universal detection of Tospovirus species. The virus species tested were Tomato spotted wilt virus, Tomato chlorotic spot virus, Groundnut ringspot virus, Chrysanthemum stem necrosis virus, Impatiens necrotic spot virus, Zucchini lethal chlorosis virus, Iris ye...