Specific mutations designed to affect the tertiary, quaternary, and surface structures of the tobacco mosaic tobamovirus (TMV) coat protein (CP) were compared for their effect on CP elicitor activity in pepper (L1 gene), eggplant, and tobacco (N′ gene). Recognition by all three hosts was dependent upon the maintenance of the CP's α-helical bundle. However, variations in recognition resulted from mutations that affected different CP surface features and/or quaternary configurations. The relationship between CP structure and recognition in these hosts is discussed.
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Dardick et al. (1999) studied this question.