Cloning and expression of the Chinese wheat mosaic virus RNA2 coat protein readthrough and 19 ku cysteinerich domains and localization of these proteins

The 5′-terminal (RTn) and 3′-terminal (RTc) halves of the coat protein readthrough domain and the 19 ku cysteine-rich protein of Chinese wheat mosaic virus (CWMV) were amplified by RT-PCR, cloned and expressed in E. coli. Antisera and monoclonal antibodies against these proteins were prepared by immunising these purified proteins to mice. Detection of RTn, RTc and 19 ku proteins in CWMV infected wheat sap and leaf tissue indicated that the RTn and RTc proteins were distributed on the surface of virus particles whereas the 19 ku protein was in the cytoplasm of the infected wheat cells.