Structure, Assembly, and Host Interactions of Filamentous Plant Viruses

一些重要的丝状植物病毒的三维结构将被确定在分子的细节，使用纤维衍射方法。这些病毒是病毒学和细胞生物学中丝状组装的模型。它们在农业生物技术方面也有巨大的潜力;马铃薯Y病毒属造成了世界上一半的病毒性作物损害。病毒结构的知识可以导致改进的抗病技术。待确定的结构将包括马铃薯X病毒属的模式成员，马铃薯X病毒（PVX），以及另外两种马铃薯X病毒，木瓜花叶病毒和水仙花叶病毒。PVX外壳蛋白的晶体结构将作为通过纤维衍射测定完整病毒结构的起点。对马铃薯Y病毒属的菜豆普通花叶坏死病毒、小麦条斑花叶病毒和马铃薯Y病毒进行了初步研究。齿舌兰环斑病毒的结构，一个刚性的杆状病毒的病毒宿主特异性的研究中的重要，将被确定。植物病毒已经成为纤维衍射发展的典范，是天然纤维结构分析的有力工具，在本项目中，它们将继续如此。该项目的更广泛影响将包括研究和教育的整合，特别是一个由本科生和K-12教师参与研究的强大计划，以及在作物保护和植物生物技术方面的潜在应用。

The three-dimensional structures of a number of important filamentous plant viruses will be determined in molecular detail, using fiber diffraction methods. These viruses are models for filamentous assemblies in virology and cell biology. They also have enormous potential in agricultural biotechnology; the potyviruses cause half the viral crop damage in the world. Knowledge of viral structures can lead to improved technologies for disease resistance. Structures to be determined will include the type member of the potexvirus genus, potato virus X (PVX), and two other potexviruses, papaya mosaic virus and narcissus mosaic virus. The crystal structure of PVX coat protein will serve as a starting point for determination of the structures of the intact viruses by fiber diffraction. Preliminary studies will be carried out on potyviruses including bean common mosaic necrosis virus, wheat streak mosaic virus, and potato virus Y. The structure of odontoglossum ringspot virus, a rigid rod-shaped tobamovirus important in studies of viral host specificity, will be determined. Plant viruses have been paradigms for developments in fiber diffraction, a powerful tool for structural analysis of naturally occurring filaments, and in this project they will continue to be so.The broader impacts of the project will include integration of research and education, in particular, a strong program involving undergraduates and K-12 teachers in research, and potential applications to crop protection and plant biotechnology.