STUDIES ON THE METABOLISM OF LEAVES WITH LOCALIZED VIRUS INFECTIONS: MITOCHONDRIAL ACTIVITY IN TMV-INFECTED NICOTIANA GLUTINOSA L.

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Abstract
An increase in the number of mitochondria in leaf tissues of Nicotiana glutinosa soon after inoculation with tobacco mosaic virus was indicated by examination of ultrathin sections, and verified by nitrogen assays of mitochondrial preparations. The succinoxidase activity of mitochondria from locally infected tissues was much higher than that of mitochondria from healthy tissues. Enzyme activity continued at increased levels until the terminal stages of infection, when low succinoxidase activity accompanied degenerative changes in the mitochondria. An early effect of localized virus infection appears to be an increase in the number of mitochondria, and therefore an increase in total enzyme per infected cell. This explains, at least in part, the overall increase in respiration of locally infected tissues previously observed.