Effect of Phosphate on the Infection of Tobacco Protoplasts by Tobacco Rattle Virus

Abstract

At pH 6.0, substituting phosphate for citrate in the inoculum greatly increased the infection of tobacco leaf protoplasts by tobacco rattle virus, but it had little effect on the yield of virus per infected protoplast. Using the optimum phosphate molarity (0.025), up to 98% of the intact protoplasts were infected. When added to the inoculum, phosphate enhanced the infection of protoplasts from leaves of four different ages. Infection was not increased when phosphate was present only immediately before or after inoculation.