Complete Sequencing of Potato Virus X New Strain Genome and Construction of Viral Vector for Production of Target Proteins in Plants

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N. V. Ravin^1*#, E. S. Mardanova^1#, R. Yu. Kotlyarov^1#, V. K. Novikov², J. G. Atabekov², and K. G. Skryabin¹

¹Center of Bioengineering, Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. 60-letiya Oktyabrya 7/1, 117312 Moscow, Russia; fax: (495) 135-0571; E-mail: nravin@biengi.ac.ru

²Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia; fax: (495) 938-0601; E-mail: atabekov@genebee.msu.su

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

^# These authors have equally contributed to this work.

Received June 16, 2007; Revision received July 11, 2007

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The complete nucleotide sequence of the genome of a new potato virus X (PVX) strain Tula isolated by us has been determined. Based on comparison of the PVX Tula nucleotide sequence with the sequences of 12 other PVX strains, this strain was assigned to the European cluster of PVX strains. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the same phylogeny for both full genome sequences and nucleotide sequences of polymerase and coat protein genes, suggesting that the PVX evolution did not involve recombination between different strains. The full-size cDNA copy of the PVX Tula genome was cloned and the accumulation of the viral coat protein in infected Nicotiana benthamiana was shown to be about twofold higher than for the PVX strain UK3. Based on the PVX Tula genome, a new vector which contained the target gene instead of the removed triple transport gene block and the coat protein gene has been constructed for expression of target proteins in plants. The productivity of the new vector was about 1.5-2-fold higher than the productivity of the vector of the same structure based on the standard PVX strain genome. The new viral vector can be used for superproduction of recombinant proteins in plants.

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KEY WORDS: potato virus X, plants as biofactories, viral vector

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297908010069

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