Inhibitory effect of gamma irradiation against Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus

Abstract

Gamma irradiation has been shown to be an effective method of controlling plant bacterial and fungal pathogens, but data on its effect against plant viruses is limited. A mechanism for the inactivation of plant viruses by gamma irradiation has not been proposed. Gamma irradiation was evaluated for the inactivation of Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) in Nicotiana tabacum plants. CGMMV infectivity decreased gradually in a dose-dependent manner, and the virus was completely inactivated at over 40 kGy. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that gamma irradiation disrupts the virion structure and degrades viral protein and genomic RNA, suggesting that damage to viral constituents is the mechanism by which gamma irradiation inactivates the virus.

Keywords

• coat protein
• ionising radiation
• virus inactivation
• virion