FIG. 3.

Relationship between symptom severity, recovery, and siRNA accumulation in SLCMV-infected N. benthamiana and cassava plants. (A and D) SLCMV symptom severity and siRNA accumulation curves in N. benthamiana (A) and cassava (D). A total of 15 N. benthamiana and cassava plants were inoculated as five plants in three experiments. Bars in the symptom severity curve indicate the SE values of 15 plants. (B and E) RNA gel blots probed with [∝-³²P]dCTP-labeled DNA-A and DNA-B of SLCMV in N. benthamiana (B) and in cassava (E) days 2 and 4 in inoculated leaves and at weeks 1 to 8 in systemically infected leaves. Each lane was loaded with 40 μg of low-molecular-weight RNA. Ethidium bromide-stained RNA is shown as a loading control. (C and F) Representative leaves showing different degree of symptoms and recovery phenotypes at 1, 2, 3, and 4 wpi in N. benthamiana (C) and at 2, 4, 6, and 8 wpi in cassava (F). The C within the blots and leaf panels represents a mock-inoculated, control plant.