Bell peppers (Capsicum annuum) harbour a large dsRNA virus. The linear genome (14.7 kbp) of two isolates from Japanese and USA bell pepper cultivars were completely sequenced and compared. They shared extensive sequence identity and contained a single, long ORF encoding a 4815 aa protein. This polyprotein contained conserved motifs of putative viral methyltransferase (MTR), helicase 1 (Hel-1), UDP-glycosyltransferase and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. This unique arrangement of conserved domains has not been reported in any of the known endornaviruses. Hence this virus, for which the name Bell pepper endornavirus (BPEV) is proposed, is a distinct species in the genus Endornavirus (family Endornaviridae). The BPEVencoded polyprotein contains a cysteine-rich region between the MTR and Hel-1 domains, with conserved CXCC motifs shared among several endornaviruses, suggesting an additional functional domain. In agreement with general endornavirus features, BPEV contains a nick in the positive-strand RNA molecule. The virus was detected in all bell pepper cultivars tested and transmitted through seed but not by graft inoculations. Analysis of dsRNA patterns and RT-PCR using degenerate primers revealed putative variants of BPEV, or closely related species, infecting other C. annuum genotypes and three other Capsicum species (C. baccatum, C. chinense and C. frutescens).

Two high-molecular-mass dsRNAs of approximately 14 and 15 kbp were isolated from the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) cultivar Black Turtle Soup. These dsRNAs did not appear to cause obvious disease symptoms, and were transmitted through seeds at nearly 100 % efficiency. Sequence information indicates that they are the genomes of distinct endornavirus species, for which the names Phaseolus vulgaris endornavirus 1 (PvEV-1) and Phaseolus vulgaris endornavirus 2 (PvEV-2) are proposed. The PvEV-1 genome consists of 13 908 bp and potentially encodes a single polyprotein of 4496 aa, while that of PvEV-2 consists of 14 820 bp and potentially encodes a single ORF of 4851 aa. PvEV-1 is more similar to Oryza sativa endornavirus, while PvEV-2 is more similar to bell pepper endornavirus. Both viruses have a sitespecific nick near the 59 region of the coding strand, which is a common property of the endornaviruses. Their polyproteins contain domains of RNA helicase, UDP-glycosyltransferase and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, which are conserved in other endornaviruses. However, a viral methyltransferase domain was found in the N-terminal region of PvEV-2, but was absent in PvEV-1. Results of cell-fractionation studies suggested that their subcellular localizations were different. Most endornavirus-infected bean cultivars tested were co-infected with both viruses.

The occurrence of high-molecular-weight double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) is a hallmark of RNA virus infection in plants and fungi; thus, dsRNA profiling is an attractive tool for preliminary diagnosis or characterization of novel RNA viruses. Here, we report a fast, inexpensive, and easy method to purify viral dsRNAs using a micro-spin column method based on a dsRNA isolation protocol using cellulose powder. The dsRNAs can be purified in 1 h and does not require a particular type or source of dsRNA. This method will be useful to rapidly screen tissues for viral genomic and subgenomic dsRNAs.

An endogenous double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), which has recently been recognized as the dsRNA virus Oryza sativa endornavirus (OsEV), is found in many strains of cultivated rice (Oryza sativa). Small RNAs derived from OsEV dsRNA were detected, indicating that the RNA silencing machinery recognizes OsEV dsRNA. The existence of OsEV in knock-down (KD) lines of five genes of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (OsRDR1-OsRDR5) or two genes of Dicer-like protein (OsDCL2 or OsDCL3a) was examined to characterize the relationship between the host RNA silencing system and the propagation of this dsRNA virus. OsEV was not detected in OsRDR4-KD or OsDCL2-KD T(1) lines. We attempted to introduce OsEV into these KD lines by crossing them with OsEV-carrying plants because of the efficient transmission of OsEV to F(1) plants via pollen or ova. All OsRDR4-KD but only some OsDCL2-KD F(1) plants contained OsEV. Some OsDCL2-KD F(1) plants consisted of OsEV-carrying and OsEV-free cells. These results suggest that the maintenance of OsEV is unstable in OsDCL2-KD plants. Furthermore, the amount of OsEV-derived small interfering RNA (vsiRNA) in the OsDCL2-KD plants increased relative to the wild type. This increased level of vsiRNA may cause OsEV instability during cell division.

Class 1 ribonuclease III (RNase III), found in bacteria and yeast, is involved in processing functional RNA molecules such as ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs). However, in Arabidopsis thaliana, the lack of an obvious phenotype or quantitative change in mature rRNAs in class 1 RNase III (AtRTL2) mutants and overexpressing plants suggests that AtRTL2 is not involved in rRNA maturation. We characterized the in vitro activity of AtRTL2 to consider its in vivo function. AtRTL2 cleaved double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) specifically in vitro, yielding products of approximately 25 nt or longer in length, in contrast to 10-20 nt long products in bacteria and yeasts. Although dsRNA-binding activity was not detected, the dsRNA-binding domains in AtRTL2 were essential for its dsRNA-cleaving activity. Accumulation of small RNAs derived from transgene dsRNAs was increased when AtRTL2 was transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves by agroinfiltration. These results raise the possibility that AtRTL2 has functions distinct from those of other class 1 RNase IIIs in vivo.

A putative new endornavirus was isolated from Malabar spinach (Basella alba). The viral dsRNA consisted of 14,027 nt with a single ORF that coded for a polyprotein of 4,508 aa. The genome organization was similar to that of four other endornaviruses. Conserved domains for helicase-1, capsular synthase, UDP-glucose-glycosyltransferase (UGT), and RdRp were detected. Infected plants were phenotypically undistinguishable from healthy ones. The name Basella alba endornavirus is proposed for the virus isolated from Malabar spinach.

A double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) of approximately 15 kbp was isolated from asymptomatic winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) plants. The size of the dsRNA, together with results of RT-PCR testing, suggested that it was the replicative form of a plant endornavirus. Cloning, sequencing, and sequence analyses confirmed the endornavirus nature of the dsRNA. Conserved motifs typical for endornaviruses were identified and their amino acid sequences compared with those of selected endornaviruses. Phylogenetic analyses revealed a close relationship with Bell pepper endornavirus, Phaseolus vulgaris endornavirus 2, and Hot pepper endornavirus. The dsRNA was present in most P. tetragonolobus genotypes tested. The virus was provisionally named Winged bean endornavirus 1 (WBEV-1).

In RNA interference (RNAi), long double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) of more than 100 nucleotides (nt) are diced into short dsRNAs (small interfering RNAs, siRNAs) of about 21-24 nt, the guide strand of which is incorporated into the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) that slices a specific mRNA. Consequently viral dsRNAs are known as potent inducers for RNAi, which probably originated from a defense mechanism against nucleic acid parasites. Therefore detection of long and short dsRNAs must be crucial techniques for RNAi or virus research. The methods for simple and sensitive detection of short dsRNAs (siRNAs) by northern hybridization, isolation of long dsRNAs by CF-11 cellulose chromatography, and detection of long dsRNAs by agarose gel electrophoresis and northern hybridization are described here.