Small Circular Single-stranded DNA Associated with Foliar Decay Disease of Coconut Palm in Vanuatu

SUMMARY The single-stranded DNA previously reported to be associated with foliar decay disease of coconut palm appears to be predominantly circular, on the basis of its behaviour in two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, electron microscopy, and its resistance to end-labelling following treatment with alkaline phosphatase and polynucleotide kinase. The DNA sedimented at between 12S and 15S and had a contour length for the circular molecules consistent with the predominant DNA having a molecular weight of about 0·43 × 106, and comprising approximately 1300 nucleotides. These properties differ from the genomic DNAs of known plant viruses.