Cloning of a tobacco cDNA coding for a putative transcriptional coactivator MBF1 that interacts with the tomato mosaic virus movement protein

Viral movement through plasmodesmata in host plants depends on the interaction between virus-encoded movement protein (MP) and host proteins. To search for MP-interacting protein (MIP), far-western screening of a tobacco cDNA library was carried out using a recombinant MP of tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) as a probe. One of the positive cDNA clones, designated MIP204, was highly homologous to a class of transcriptional coactivators commonly referred to as multiprotein bridging factor 1 (MBF1). ToMV MP could also bind to the Arabidopsis homologues of MBF1. The recombinant MIP204 bound to MPs of ToMV and a crucifer tobamovirus CTMV-W, but not of cucumber mosaic virus. MPs of ToMV and the related virus may interact with MBF1-like proteins to modulate host gene expression.