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In Capsicum, the resistance against tobamoviruses conferred by the L2 gene is effective against all but one of the known tobamoviruses. Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) is the only virus which escapes its action. To identify the viral factors affecting induction of the hypersensitive reaction (HR) mediated by the Capsicum spp. L2 resistance gene, we have constructed chimeric viral genomes between paprika mild mottle virus (PaMMV) (a virus able to induce the HR) and PMMoV. A hybrid virus with the PaMMV coat protein gene substituted in the PMMoV-S sequences was able to elicit the HR in Capsicum frutescens (L2L2) plants. These data indicate that the sequences that affect induction of the HR mediated by the L2 resistance gene reside in the coat protein gene. Furthermore, a mutant that codes for a truncated coat protein was able to systemically spread in these plants. Thus, the elicitation of the host response requires the coat protein and not the RNA.

The L3 gene is responsible for the hypersensitive response in Capsicum plants against infection by tobamoviruses. The resistance conferred by this gene is one of the most effective so far described against tobamoviruses. Certain isolates of pepper mild mottle virus (PMMV) are the only tobamoviruses able to overcome the L3 resistance. Chimeric viral genomes between PMMV-S (to which L3 plants are hypersensitive) and PMMV-I (an L3 resistance-breaking isolate) led us to conclude that sequence variation within the coat protein gene of both isolates determines their different virulence in L3L3 plants. Furthermore, the results indicate that a single amino acid substitution, Asn to Met, at position 138 of the PMMV-I coat protein is sufficient to induce the hypersensitive response and localization of viral infection in C. chinense plants. Finally, the use of a mutant coding for a truncated coat protein (maintaining the Met138 coding sequence at the RNA level) demonstrates that a functional coat protein is required for elicitation of the L3 gene-mediated resistance.

The nucleotide sequence of the coat protein genes and 3' non-coding regions of two different resistance-breaking tobamoviruses in pepper have been determined. The deduced coat protein of an Italian isolate of pepper mild mottle virus (PMMV-I) consists of 156 amino acids and its 3' non-coding region is 198 nucleotides long. They have been found to be very similar in sequence and structure to those previously reported for a Spanish isolate (PMMV-S). In contrast, a Dutch isolate termed P 11 codes for a coat protein of 160 amino acids and its 3' non-coding region is 291 nucleotides long, which may have arisen by duplication. The nucleotide and the predicted coat protein amino acid sequence analysis show that this isolate should be considered as a new virus within the tobamovirus group. The term paprika mild mottle virus (PaMMV) is proposed.