EXPRESSION OF THE TOMATO YELLOW LEAF CURL VIRUS MOVEMENT PROTEIN GENE IN ESCHERCHIA COLI

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) is destructive pathogen of tomato (Solanum lycopercicum) and causes annual damage in tomato crops of many tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Due to distribution of this pathogen in Iran, detection of this virus is necessary for controlling the damages caused by this pathogen. As enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is a convenient method for the detection of viruses, preparing a source of antigen for immunization process is essential. In this study, the movement protein gene of TYLCV-Ir2 was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cloned in the expression vector pET26. It was transformed into Escherchia coli BL21 competent cells. The identity of the clone and the fidelity of the PCR product were verified by sequence analysis. The expression of recombinant TYLCV movement protein was induced by IPTG. The results indicated that the TYLCV movement protein gene was expressed in Escherchia coli and can be used as a source of antigen for producing antibodies against it.