Biology of a new virus isolated from Lupinus nootkatensis plants in Alaska

A new virus named Nootka lupine vein-clearing virus (NLVCV) was isolated from Lupinus nootkatensis plants that were confined to a relatively small area in the Talkeetna mountains of south-central Alaska. Annual surveys (2000–03) consistently found leaf symptoms of pronounced vein clearing and mosaic on 3- to 4-week-old plants in late June. Spherical particles ≈30 nm in diameter were isolated from these leaves. Virions contained a single-stranded RNA of ≈4·0–4·2 kb and one species of capsid protein estimated to be ≈40 kDa. The double-stranded RNA profile from naturally infected leaves consisted of three major bands ≈4·2, 1·9 and 1·5 kbp. Protein extractions from either sap or virions of diseased plants reacted to polyclonal antiserum made against the virions in Western blot assays. A predicted PCR product ≈500 bp was synthesized from virion RNA using primers specific to the carmovirus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDRP) gene. The nucleotide sequence of the amplified DNA did not match any known virus, but contained short regions of identity to several carmoviruses. Only species belonging to the Fabaceae were susceptible to NLVCV by mechanical inoculation. Based on dsRNA profile, size of virion RNA genome and capsid protein, and similarity of the RDRP gene to that of other carmoviruses, it is suggested that NLVCV is a member of the family Tombusviridae , and tentatively of the genus Carmovirus . As the host range, RDRP gene and dsRNA profile of NLVCV are different from those of known viruses, this is a newly described plant virus.     

Comparison of ambisense m RNA of watermelon silver mottle virus with other tospoviruses

ABSTRACT Double-stranded genomic RNAs (dsRNAs) extracted from Chenopodium quinoa infected with watermelon silver mottle virus (WSMV) were similar to those of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV, serogroup I) and impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV, serogroup III), except that the S dsRNA of WSMV is 0.75 and 0.6 kbp longer than those of TSWV and INSV, respectively. The complete nucleotide sequence of the genomic M RNA of WSMV was determined from cDNA clones generated from separated M dsRNA. The M RNA is 4,880 nucleotides in length with two open reading frames (ORFs) in an ambisense organization. The M RNA-encoded nonstructural (NSm) ORF located on the viral strand encodes a protein of 312 amino acids (35 kDa), and the G1/G2 ORF located on the viral complementary strand encodes a protein of 1,121 amino acids (127.6 kDa). The RNA probe corresponding to the NSm or G1/G2 ORF of WSMV failed to hybridize with the M dsRNAs of TSWV and INSV. Comparison of M and S RNAs of WSMV, TSWV, INSV, and peanut bud necrosis virus (PBNV, serogroup IV) revealed a consensus sequence of eight nucleotides of 5'-AGAGCAAU...-3' at their 5' ends and 5'-...AUUGCUCU-3' at their 3' ends. The low overall nucleotide identities (56.4 to 56.9%) of the M RNA and the low amino acid identities of the NSm and G1/G2 proteins (30.5 to 40.9%) with those of TSWV and INSV indicate that WSMV belongs to the Tospovirus genus but is phylogenetically distinct from viruses in serogroups I and III. The M RNA of WSMV shares a nucleotide identity of 79.6% with that of PBNV, and the two viruses share 83.4 and 88.7% amino acid identities for their NSm and G1/G2 proteins, respectively. It is concluded that they are two related but distinct species of serogroup IV. In addition to the viral or viral complementary full-length M RNA, two putative RNA messages for the NSm gene and the G1/G2 gene, 1.0 and 3.4 kb, respectively, were detected from the total RNA extracted from WSMV-infected tissue of Nicotiana benthamiana. The 1.0- and 3.4-kb RNAs were also detected in the viral RNAs extracted from purified nucleocapsids, suggesting that the putative messages of the M RNA of WSMV can also be encapsidated by the nucleocapsid protein.     

烟草花叶病毒丁香分离物的分离与鉴定

 从表现花叶症状的丁香病株上获得一病毒分离物,其在电镜下为约300 nm×18nm的杆状粒子;电泳分析表明感病组织中ds RNA大约为6.4kbp,而其外壳蛋白分子量约为17.6k Da。以上实验结果初步将该病毒分离物鉴定为烟草花叶病毒属(Tobamovirus)。根据该属病毒复制酶基因序列设计通用引物,进行RT-PCR检测,扩增出约1000 bp的预期特异片段(Gen Bank AY566703)。将PCR产物克隆后测序,序列分析表明,与从蚕豆中分离的TMV-B株系序列(Gen Bank AJ011933.1)同源性为99.90%。根据烟草花叶病毒(Tobacco mosaic virus,TMV)的RNA CP基因序列设计引物,进行RT-PCR,扩增出约800 bp的预期特异片段(Gen Bank AY56672),序列分析表明,与TMV-B株系序列(Gen Bank AJ011933.1)同源性达99%,上述实验结果表明,该病毒分离物为TMV。由于该分离物与TMV-B在指示植物上的症状存在明显差异,所以,作者把该分离物暂命名为TMV-S。     

玉米小斑病菌中一种维多利亚病毒的分离及其基因组全序列分析

 从玉米小斑病菌(Bipolaris maydis)中检测发现一种dsRNA (double-stranded RNA)病毒,暂命名为Bipolaris maydis victorivirus 2 (BmV2)。电子显微镜下观察到病毒粒子为二十面体球状,直径为40 nm左右、无包膜;病毒基因组为单条dsRNA核酸分子,长度为5 222 bp,其基因组结构与其他维多利亚病毒相似,包含两个开放阅读框(ORFs)。序列BLASTx分析发现,BmV2的基因组核酸序列与Coniothyrium minitans RNA virus Illinois isolate (CmRV-IL)具有较高的同源性(78.15%),后者CmRV-IL是单分体病毒科(Totiviridae)维多利亚病毒属(Victorivirus)的暂定种,两者的外壳蛋白(CP)和RNA依赖性RNA聚合酶(RdRp)的氨基酸序列之间的同源性分别为88.02%和89.87%,说明BmV2、CmRV-IL是同一种病毒的不同分离物。基于BmV2和选择的单分体病毒的RdRp氨基酸序列的系统发育分析表明,BmV2与单分体病毒科维多利亚病毒属中的病毒形成了一个单系进化支。     

Polymerase chain reaction detection and phylogenetic characterization of an agent associated with yellow vine disease of cucurbits

ABSTRACT Diagnosis of yellow vine disease (YVD) in cucurbits, an important disease in the south-central United States, relies on external symptom appearance, phloem discoloration, and the presence of bacterium-like organisms (BLOs) in phloem. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of BLO nucleotide sequences was explored as a means to improve diagnostic techniques. PCR, using a primer pair based on sequences of the citrus-greening BLO, amplified a 0.15-kilobase (kb) fragment from the DNA of symptomatic plants, but not from that of asymptomatic plants. Its nucleotide sequence suggested that the DNA amplified was of pro-karyotic origin. A primer pair, designed to amplify nonspecific prokaryotic 16S rDNA, amplified a 1.5-kb DNA fragment in both the symptomatic and asymptomatic plants. The 1.5-kb fragment from the asymptomatic plants corresponded to chloroplast 16S rDNA, and the band from the symptomatic plants was composed of 16S rDNAs from both chloroplasts and a prokaryote. The nucleotide sequence of the prokaryotic DNA was determined and used to design three primers (YV1, YV2, and YV3). Fragments of 0.64 and 1.43 kb were amplified with primers YV1-YV2 and primers YV1-YV3, respectively, from symptomatic plants. Neither primer set yielded fragments from asymptomatic plants, unrelated bacteria, or selected soilborne fungal pathogens of cucurbits. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the prokaryote is a gamma-3 proteobacterium. The consistent association of the 0.64- and 1.43-kb fragments with symptomatic plants suggests that the gamma-3 proteobacterium may be the causal agent of YVD of cantaloupe, squash, and watermelon.     

河北省番茄黄化曲叶病毒病的分子鉴定初报

双生病毒是一类具有孪生颗粒形态的植物单链病毒,目前双生病毒病害已在多个国家和地区的作物上造成严重危害。近年来,我国多省报道作物上有这类病毒的发生,且有逐年加重和扩散的趋势。根据危害番茄的双生病毒DNA A序列保守区设计简并引物,对2009年4月采自河北省魏县表现叶片黄化、曲叶症状的4个番茄样品进行PCR检测,均为双生病毒阳性,对样品的扩增片断进行了克隆测序,经序列比对分析,与番茄黄化曲叶病毒（Tomato leaf curl virus,TYLCV）山东分离物（FJ646611.1）序列相似性为99.25%~99.55%,说明河北番茄黄化曲叶病由TYLCV引起。     

侵染扶桑的烟草花叶病毒分离物鉴定

从表现叶斑驳症状的扶桑病株上获得一病毒分离物,电镜下可见约300 nm×18 nm的杆状粒子,其与烟草花叶病毒抗血清呈明显的阳性反应,dsRNA约为6.4 kbp。根据烟草花叶病毒(tobacco.mosaic virus,TMV)的RNA序列设计引物,进行RT-PCR检测,扩增出约800 bp的预期特异片段。将PCR产物连接pMD18-T载体,转化大肠杆菌DH5α,得到了含有目的片段的重组子。序列分析表明,与周雪平等报道的序列(GenBank AJ011933.1)同源性达99％。通过生物学、病毒粒子观察、血清学以及分子生物学实验结果,确定该病毒分离物为TMV。     

Molecular detection of sugarcane striate virus and sugarcane white streak virus and their prevalence in the Miami World Collection of sugarcane and related grasses

Viruses in the genus Mastrevirus (family Geminiviridae), including those infecting sugarcane, have natural geographical ranges almost exclusively restricted to Africa and the Indian Ocean islands off the African coast. Only sugarcane white streak virus (SWSV) in Barbados and sugarcane striate virus (SStrV) in Florida and Guadeloupe are known to infect a few sugarcane varieties in the Western Hemisphere. In this study, PCR assays were developed to detect these two viruses in sugarcane. Five hundred and seventy-one DNA samples from Saccharum species and interspecific hybrids from the Miami World Collection of sugarcane and related grasses were tested for the presence of SStrV and SWSV by PCR. No variety was found infected by SWSV but SStrV was detected in 19 varieties. PCR data were confirmed by sequencing amplified fragments (248 bp). These fragments shared 93%–100% nucleotide identity with SStrV sequences from the GenBank database. SStrV isolates were distributed in six phylogenetic groups, including the four strains of the virus. Most varieties infected by SStrV originated from Asia, thus confirming a previous hypothesis stating that this virus originated from this continent. Absence of SStrV in commercial sugarcane in Florida also suggested that this virus has not been spread in this location, while infected plants have been present for several decades.     

Two paths of sequence divergence in the citrus tristeza virus complex

ABSTRACT Comparison of a sampling of complementary DNA (cDNA) sequences from the Florida citrus tristeza virus (CTV) isolates T3 and T30 to the sequence of the genome of the Israeli isolate VT showed a relatively consistent or symmetrical distribution of nucleotide sequence identity in both the 5' and 3' regions of the 19.2-kb genome. In contrast, comparison of these sequences to the sequence of isolate T36 showed a dramatic decrease in sequence identity in the 5' proximal 11 kb of the genome. A cDNA probe derived from this region of the T36 genome hybridized to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) of only 3 of 10 different Florida CTV isolates. In contrast, analogous probes from T3 and T30 hybridized differentially to the seven isolates not selected by the T36 probe. Primers designed from cDNA sequence for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) selectively amplified these 10 isolates, allowing them to be classified as similar to T3, T30, or T36. In contrast, individual cDNA probes derived from the 3' terminal open reading frames of the T3, T30, and T36 genomes all hybridized to dsRNA from all Florida CTV isolates tested, and PCR primers designed from the T36 capsid protein gene sequence amplified successfully from all isolates. Based on these data, we propose the creation of two groups of CTV, exemplified by the VT and T36 isolates, respectively. Isolates in the VT group, which include isolates VT, T3, and T30, have genomic sequence divergence that is relatively constant in proportion and distribution throughout the genome, and candidate isolates for that group could be considered strains of the same virus. The T36 group is differentiated from the VT group by the highly divergent 5' genomic sequence. This 5' region of the CTV genome, thus, can serve as a measure of the extent of sequence divergence and can be used to define new groups and group members in the CTV complex.     

香石竹斑驳病毒的鉴定和RT-PCR检测

从表现为叶斑驳、花碎色症状的香石竹病株上获得一病毒分离物 ,电镜负染观察到直径为28～33nm的球状粒子。病毒提取液经紫外光测定呈典型核蛋白吸收曲线 ,OD₂₆₀/OD₂₈₀=1.70;血清学反应与CarMV抗血清出现明显的沉淀线。通过以上实验结果 ,确定该病毒分离物为香石竹斑驳病毒(carnation mottle virus ,CarMV)。根据该病毒的RNA序列设计引物 ,对病健材料进行了RT-PCR检测 ,结果从感病材料中扩增出大约600bp的特异片段 ,而健康植物无此扩增带。将PCR产物连接 pGEM-T-easy载体 ,转化大肠杆菌JM109,得到了含目的片段的重组子 ,经双脱氧序列分析 ,与Guilley报道的序列对应部分的核苷酸序列基本一致 (其同源性达96% ) ,最低检出病毒核酸含量为5ng ,表明应用RT-PCR检测香石竹斑驳病毒是可行的     

Detection of double-stranded RNA and virus-like particles in Australian isolates of Pythium irregulare

Mycelial extracts of Pythium irregulare were processed using CF-11 chromatography and analysed by gel electrophoresis for double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) content. DsRNA molecules of between 1 and 6 kb were found in 33 of 39 isolates tested. The dsRNA profiles of individual isolates remained unchanged after repeated subculturing of hyphal tips, after storage under water for 2 years, or when single zoospores were used to generate subcultures. However, dsRNA profiles varied between isolates, and even within individual populations; in the one case eight different dsRNA types were recovered upon testing 17 isolates from a single wheatfield. Isometric virus-like particles (VLPs) of approximately 45 nm were found in isolates containing dsRNA, while no such particles could be found in isolates in which dsRNA was not detected. Electrophoretic profiles of dsRNA extracted from partial purifications of VLPs were identical to those of dsRNA extracted from whole mycelium, suggesting that the dsRNA is at least partially encapsidated. Attempts to transmit dsRNA between isolates by hyphal anastomosis or by coinfection in wheat plants were unsuccessful, with only parental types being recovered. Analysis of 29 isolates representing 14 other Pythium species failed to detect dsRNA, even when co-isolated with P. irregulare known to contain dsRNA     

Hypovirulence and Double-Stranded RNA in Botrytis cinerea

ABSTRACT Twenty-one strains of Botrytis cinerea isolated from 13 species of plants grown in China were compared for pathogenicity on Brassica napus, mycelial growth on potato dextrose agar, and presence of double-stranded (ds)RNA. The results showed that the strain CanBc-1 was severely debilitated in pathogenicity and mycelial growth, compared with the 20 virulent strains. A dsRNA of approximately 3.0 kb in length was detected in CanBc-1 and 4 hypovirulent single-conidium (SC) isolates of CanBc-1, but was not detected in the 20 virulent strains of B. cinerea and 4 virulent SC isolates of CanBc-1. Results of the horizontal transmission experiment showed that the hypovirulent trait of CanBc-1 was transmissible and the 3.0-kb dsRNA was involved in the transmission of hypovirulence. Analysis of a 920-bp cDNA sequence generated from the 3.0-kb dsRNA of CanBc-1 indicated that the dsRNA element was a mycovirus, designated as B. cinerea debilitation-related virus (BcDRV). Further analyses showed that BcDRV is closely related to Ophiostoma mitovirus 3b infecting O. novo-ulmi, the causal agent of Dutch elm disease. Mitochondria and cytoplasm in hyphal cells of CanBc-1 became degenerated, compared with the virulent isolate CanBc-1c-66 of B cinerea. This is the first report on the occurrence of Mitovirus-associated hypovirulence in B. cinerea.     

Use of Degenerate Primers in a RT-PCR Assay for the Identification and Analysis of Some Filamentous Viruses, with Special Reference to Clostero- and Vitiviruses of the Grapevine

RT-PCR with degenerate primers was used for the screening of the genome of some members of the Closterovirus, Vitivirus and Trichovirus genera. Two sets of primers, targeted to conserved sequences of the heat shock protein 70 homologue of closteroviruses or to the RNA dependent RNA polymerase genes of tricho- and vitiviruses, amplified the expected fragments from total RNA extracts or double-stranded RNAs of infected plants. Amplified cDNAs were cloned, sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed. Results support the allocation of grapevine viruses A, B, D and heracleum latent virus (HLV) in the genus Vitivirus, whereas, the detection of a HSP70 homologue in grapevine leafroll-associated viruses agrees with their assignment in the genus Closterovirus. The use of degenerate primers for the identification of grapevine viruses belonging to Vitivirus and Closterovirus genera is envisaged.     

Double-stranded RNA comprising the putative avocado virus 1 has a high degree of sequence homology to the avocado genome

The hypothesis that the double-stranded (ds) RNA isolated from avocado is indicative of infection by RNA plant viruses has never been proven. However, it has not been disproven and the different dsRNAs are still known as putative avocado viruses (AV) 1, 2 and 3. We have probed restriction fragments of avocado cellular DNA with cloned ³²P-labelled AV1-specific cDNA and discovered that the dsRNA nucleotide sequences are also present on plant DNA. Our evidence contradicts the hypothesis that viruses are responsible for the formation of the dsRNA species in avocado.