Tobacco leaf protein synthesis

T. causes diseases in plants by inhibition of protein and nucleic acid synthesis, e.g., leaf rot and brown spot disease in rice and tobacco. T. has antiviral and insecticidal activities and inhibits the growth of mammalian cell cultures. T. can occur in moldy tomatoes and apples as well as products produced therefrom. For structure activity relationships, see Lit.. ... 

These are the facts which point to RNA being the template on which the synthesis of proteins takes place. Another confirmation has been brought by experiments showing that the isolated nucleic acid of tobacco mosaic virus can introduce the disease into a leaf cell as well as the whole nucleoprotein of the virus. 

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