New in vitro method for evaluating antiviral activity of acyclic nucleoside phosphonates against plant viruses

A new method was developed for testing antiviral compounds against plant viruses based on rapidly growing brassicas in vitro on liquid medium. This method enables exchange of media containing tested chemicals in various concentrations and simultaneous evaluation of their phytotoxicity and antiviral activity. While using ribavirin as a standard for comparison, phytotoxicity and ability of the acyclic nucleotide analogues (R)-PMPA, PMEA, PMEDAP, and (S)-HPMPC to eliminate ssRNA Turnip yellow mosaic virus (TYMV) were evaluated by this method. Double antibody sandwich ELISA and real-time PCR were used for relative quantification of viral protein and nucleic acid in plants. Ribavirin had the most powerful antiviral effect against TYMV. On the other hand, (R)-PMPA and PMEA had no antiviral effect and almost no phytotoxicity compared to the control. (S)-HPMPC and PMEDAP showed moderate antiviral effect, accompanied by higher phytotoxicity. The tested compounds can be screened within 6–9 weeks in contrast to the 6 months for traditionally used explants on solid medium. The method enables large-scale screening of potential antivirals for in vitro elimination of viruses from vegetatively propagated crops and ornamentals.