Molecular characterization of Chinese Hop stunt viroid isolates reveals a new phylogenetic group and possible cross transmission between grapevine and stone fruits

A survey for the incidence of Hop stunt viroid (HSVd) infection in China was conducted using dot-blot hybridization. Out of 553 tested samples, 127 samples of stone fruits (apricot, peach, plum and almond), grapevine and hop were positive for HSVd, giving a mean infection rate of 23?%. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that most of the HSVd variants isolated from stone fruits, grapevine and hop were clustered into known hop and plum groups. However, two grapevine variants, HSVd.g50 and HSVd.g57, could not be clustered into any known groups, indicating a previously unknown phylogenetic group of HSVd isolates. HSVd.g38 was the single grapevine variant that clustered with the plum group isolates, supporting cross transmission between grapevine and stone fruits and the heterogeneity of grapevine isolates.     

Simultaneous detection and genetic variability of stone fruit viroids in the Czech Republic

In this paper, we report a large-scale survey for the incidence of Peach latent mosaic viroid (PLMVd) and Hop stunt viroid (HSVd) in stone fruit collections and commercial orchards in the Czech Republic. From the 645 samples analysed, PLMVd was detected in 80 (26.6%) of peaches and the HSVd in 3 (1.3%) of apricot and 1 (0.33%) of peach trees. Sixty-seven accession of peach (44.6%) from the Czech Clonal GeneBank were infected by PLMVd. In addition, we used naturally infected trees to standardise the simultaneous detection of PLMVd and HSVd plus host mRNA as the control by means of one-step multiplex RTC-PCR. Eleven PLMVd and two HSVd isolates were sequenced and analysed. All the PLMVd variants were highly homologous (97–100%) to previously reported PLMVd variants from Tunisian peach and almond trees, and clustered together in the previously reported phylogenetic group III. The HSVd variants obtained from apricot and peach trees were included in the previously proposed recombinant group PH/cit3.     

桃树上啤酒花矮化类病毒(Hop stunt viroid)的检测及序列分析

 2005年8月和2006年2月从中国北京、陕西、河北、山东、广西等地共采集76个无明显症状的桃树样品,经斑点杂交、RT-PCR以及生物学鉴定检测,来自北京和陕西的11个样品中检测到啤酒花矮化类病毒(Hop stunt viroid,HSVd),总感染率达14.5%。上述3种方法检测桃树上的HSVd具有一致性。将5个样品中的HSVd进行克隆测序,得到12条不同HSVd核酸序列,与GenBank中D13764序列(日本桃果实HSVd分离物)同源性为93.29%~100%。可以看出,国内桃树HSVd分离物核酸序列变异比较小,地域和品种间核酸序列无明显差异。这是首次比较系统地检测中国桃树上HSVd发生情况的报道。     

A preliminary account of the sanitary status of stone-fruit trees in Morocco

Field surveys were carried out in the main stone-fruit growing areas of Morocco to evaluate the sanitary status of commercial orchards, varietal collections and nurseries. The presence of virus and virus-like diseases was checked by ELISA, sap transmission to herbaceous hosts, testing on woody indicators and molecular hybridization (dot-blot and tissue-printing). 1211 samples (382 almond, 339 peach, 291 plum, 150 apricot and 49 cherry) were tested by ELISA for the presence of Prunus necrotic ring spot virus (PNRSV), Prune dwarf virus (PDV), Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV), Apple mosaic virus (ApMV) and Plum pox virus (PPV). The overall average of virus infection rate was 16.4%, whereas that of single species was: 22.6% for almond, 17.8% for plum, 15% for peach, 10.2% for cherry, and 2.7% for apricot. The following viruses were detected: PNRSV, PDV, ACLSV and ApMV. 565 samples were tested by dot-blot and tissue-printing hybridization for the presence of Peach latent mosaic viroid (PLMVd) and Hop stunt viroid (HSVd). 48 samples were infected, 41 by PLMVd and 7 by HSVd. In addition, nested-PCR tests identified Plum bark necrosis and stem-pitting associated virus (PBNSPaV) in a few almond trees affected by stem pitting.     

Correlation of hop stunt viroid variants to cachexia and xyloporosis diseases of citrus

ABSTRACT Citrus viroid (CVd) group II is comprised of hop stunt viroid (HSVd)-related variants of 295 to 302 nucleotides. Included in this group are the cachexia-inducing agents citrus cachexia viroid (or CVd-IIb), CVd-IIc, Ca-903, and Ca-909 as well as the non-cachexia-inducing variant CVd-IIa. The cachexia indexing hosts 'Parson's Special' mandarin and 'Orlando' tangelo as well as Citrus macrophylla responded with symptoms of gumming, discoloration, and stem pitting when infected by CVd-IIb, CVd-IIc, or Ca-903. However, 'Palestine' sweet lime, the indicator host used to describe the xyloporosis disease, displayed a distinctly different fine-pitting reaction and no discoloration or gumming when infected by the same viroids. Cachexia-inducing variants contain a number of nucleotide changes more similar to hop-type HSVd sequences than to the citrus-type HSVd sequences, as typified by CVd-IIa. The nucleotide sequence of CVd-IIc was identical to CVd group II isolates common to trees expressing xyloporosis. Experimental evidence indicates that either CVd-IIb or CVd-IIc can cause citrus diseases known as cachexia and xyloporosis and that the two disease designations reflect the distinct responses of different indexing hosts to the same viroids.     

Incidence and genetic diversity of Peach latent mosaic viroid and Hop stunt viroid in stone fruits in Serbia

Tissue-imprint hybridization (TIH) assay was validated for large-scale detection of Peach latent mosaic viroid (PLMVd) and Hop stunt viroid (HSVd). All 72 collected leaves (100%) from 2 PLMVd- and 2 HSVd-infected trees were positive in TIH, regardless of the geographic orientation of the scaffold, level of the canopy and position of the leaf in the shoot. In a large-scale survey in Serbia, we tested by TIH 871 trees of stone fruits, representing 602 cultivars from fruit collections in Belgrade, Čačak and Novi Sad. PLMVd was detected in 185 (50%) peach trees or 95 (54%) cultivars and HSVd in 2 apricot trees and cultivars (2%). The occurrence of HSVd is a new report for Serbia. No viroid infection was found in European plums, sweet cherries, sour cherries and wild Prunus spp. PLMVd-infected peach cultivars originated from the world’s main breeding centres of this crop. Western European and Asian cultivars were the most infected (58%) followed by those originating from North America (50%). Nine PLMVd and two HSVd isolates were sequenced and analyzed. All showed PMLVd sequences clustered together in the previously reported phylogenetic group III. Both HSVd isolates were found to be derived from recombinant events, but that of the cv. Saturn represented a putative new phylogenetic group of HSVd.     

Studies on the diagnosis of hop stunt viroid in fruit trees: Identification of new hosts and application of a nucleic acid extraction procedure based on non-organic solvents

A non-radioactive digoxigenin-labelled RNA probe specific for hop stunt viroid (HSVd) diagnosis has been developed. The high sensitivity and specificity of this RNA probe in dot blot hybridizations to nucleic acids from field samples, allowed the confirmation of the presence of HSVd in apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) and its detection in two fruit tree species not previously described as hosts of this pathogen, almond (Prunus dulcis Miller) and pomegranate (Punica granatum L.). This result supports and extends the notion of the world wide distribution of HSVd, infecting cultivated fruit trees. HSVd was also found to accumulate to much higher levels in mature apricot fruits than in leaves. Additionally, a sample processing procedure which does not involve the use of organic solvents was demonstrated to render faithful results when used for viroid detection. The combined reliability and facility of use of both this extraction procedure and the non-radioactive probe will benefit agronomic investigations addressing the detection and eradication of HSVd. Other applications of the work described here, as the study of possible causal relations between specific disorders and HSVd infection, are also discussed.     

Viruses and viroids of stone fruits in Jordan

Field surveys were carried out in the main stonefruit-growing areas of Jordan to assess the sanitary status of varietal collections, mother plant blocks and commercial orchards. The presence of virus and virus-like diseases was determined by ELISA, sap transmission to herbaceous hosts, graft transmission to Prunus persica cv. GF 305 and P. serrulata cv. Kwanzan, and molecular hybridization tests. A total of 1312 samples was tested by ELISA (531 peach, 361 plum, 218 apricot, 135 almond and 67 cherry trees). The overall mean level of infection was about 14%, indicating an acceptable sanitary status as a whole, considering that no sanitary selection has ever been carried out in Jordan. The infection level of different species was: peach (18%), cherry (15%), almond (14%), apricot (11%) and plum (10%). The following viruses and viroids were identified: Plum pox potyvirus (PPV), Prunus necrotic ringspot ilarvirus (PNRSV), Prune dwarf ilarvirus (PDV), Apple mosaic ilarvirus (ApMV), Apple chlorotic leaf spot trichovirus (ACLSV), Hop stunt viroid (HSVd) and Peach latent mosaic viroid (PLMVd). Most of these agents (ApMV, ACLSV, PLMVd and HSVd) are reported for the first time from Jordan.     

Viruses and viroids of stone fruits in Syria

Field surveys were carried out in the main stone fruit-growing areas of Syria to evaluate the sanitary status of mother blocks, varietal collections and commercial orchards. The presence of virus and virus-like diseases was checked by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), sap transmission to herbaceous hosts, testing on the woody indicators Prunus persica cv. GF 305 and Prunus serrulata cv. Kwanzan and dot-blot hybridization tests. A total of 1337 samples was tested by ELISA (444 apricot, 283 peach, 246 cherry, 222 almond and 142 plum). The overall mean infection rate was 13%, and the percentage infection level of single species was: peach 24%, cherry 16%, almond 13.5%, apricot 6%, plum 5%. The following viruses and viroids were detected: PNRSV, PDV, ACLSV, PPV, ApMV, PLMVd and HSVd ¹ .     

法国进境葡萄砧木中啤酒花矮化类病毒的检测与序列分析

为检测法国进境葡萄砧木中啤酒花矮化类病毒（Hop stunt viroid,HSVd）,对其进行了RT-PCR检测及序列测定,并构建系统进化树比较了不同地域来源HSVd间的分子差异性。结果表明基于HSVd基因序列设计合成的1对引物能够扩增出302 bp大小的目标片段,而健康植株无此扩增产物。法国葡萄砧木中检出的HSVd分离物,与国内外已报道毒株的核酸序列同源性达90%~97%,与已报道的HSVd全基因组序列间差异较小,表明HSVd的序列变异与地域、寄主等无明显相关性。     

Characterization of Colletotrichum acutatum Isolates Causing Anthracnose of Almond and Peach in California

ABSTRACT The causal organism responsible for the recent outbreak of almond and peach anthracnose in California was identified and characterized as Colletotrichum acutatum. Isolates of C. acutatum from almond were found to be similar to California strawberry isolates and South Carolina peach and apple isolates of C. acutatum based on conidial morphology, temperature relationships, fungicide sensitivity, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods using DNA species-specific primers. On almond, blossoms and immature or mature fruit were affected by the disease, causing direct losses of crop. On peach, the disease was observed only on mature fruit. Pathogenicity of almond and peach isolates of C. acutatum was demonstrated on wound- and nonwound-inoculated almond or peach fruit by fulfilling Koch's postulates. Conidial morphology of isolates was variable, depending on the medium or substrate used to culture the isolates. Isolates of C. acutatum from strawberry, almond, and peach were grouped together based on a similar response to temperature, with an optimal growth rate at 25 degrees C (generally less than 10 mm/day), whereas isolates of C. gloeosporioides from citrus and papaya had an optimal growth rate at 30 degrees C (generally greater than 10 mm/day). In fungicide disk assays, isolates of C. acutatum from strawberry, peach, and apple, as well as almond and peach isolates from California, were less sensitive to benomyl at 300, 600, or 1,200 mug/ml. In contrast, C. gloeosporioides isolates from citrus and papaya were very sensitive to benomyl at all concentrations evaluated. All isolates of both species were sensitive to captan (300, 600, or 1,200 mug/ml). Oligonucleotide primers were synthesized for C. acutatum, C. fragariae, or C. gloeosporioides using published DNA sequences from the internal transcribed spacer 1 region of ribosomal DNA. Thirty-two Colletotrichum isolates from almond fruit produced DNA products with a C. acutatum primer (CaInt-2) that matched products and approximate molecular weight of known C. acutatum isolates. No PCR products were produced with primers for C. gloeosporioides or C. fragariae. Isolates from citrus and papaya produced DNA products only with primers from C. gloeosporioides or C. fragariae. Thus, worldwide, anthracnose of almonds may be caused by either C. gloeosporioides, as previously reported, or by C. acutatum, as indicated in this study.     

Development of a polyprobe for the simultaneous detection of four grapevine viroids in grapevine plants

This study aimed to develop a polyprobe for the simultaneous detection of four viroids that infect grapevine: Hop stunt viroid (HSVd), Australian grapevine viroid (AGVd), Grapevine yellow speckle viroid-1 and 2 (GYSVd-1, 2), using a non-isotopic dot blot hybridization technique. A polyprobe was constructed by cloning tandem full-length sequences of HSVd, AGVd and GYSVd-1 into a single vector. The cRNA polyprobe detected all four viroids with similar sensitivity to that obtained using individual probes. In addition, samples of 78 varieties from Beijing and Xinjiang were analyzed using the polyprobe to survey the incidence of grapevine viroids in China. The result demonstrated that grapevine viroids were detected in 56 (71.8%) varieties. In this study, a rapid, reliable and cost-effective approach to the simultaneous detection of four grapevine viroids has been developed which has the potential for routine use in quarantine and certification programs.     

烟台市富士苹果上苹果锈果类病毒分子变异分析

为明确苹果锈果类病毒(Apple scar skin viroid,ASSVd)在烟台市富士苹果上的变异情况,通过特异性引物对携带苹果锈果类病毒的富士嫩叶进行ASSVd全长扩增,利用生物学软件DNAMAN对所得变异序列进行分析并构建系统进化树。结果表明,从130个样品中筛选到36个阳性样品,36个阳性样品中共克隆获得52条329~333 nt的ASSVd变异序列,其中30个阳性样品含2条或2条以上的ASSVd序列。对所得变异序列进行序列比对发现,同一样品不同克隆间核苷酸序列相似性为94.0%~100.0%,所有变异序列核苷酸序列相似性为94.0%~99.7%,与Gen Bank中来自不同国家或地区的10条ASSVd分离物核苷酸序列相似性为88.3%~99.7%。将序列相似性低于97.0%的12条变异序列进行系统进化分析,结果显示除了333 nt变异序列ZS2-6与伊朗苹果分离物在同一分支外,其余11条变异序列位于同一分支。52条变异序列多序列比对发现,变异位点主要集中在TL区、P区和C区。研究表明烟台市富士苹果上ASSVd存在一定的分子变异。     

Identification of Subpopulations of Colletotrichum acutatum and Epidemiology of Almond Anthracnose in California

ABSTRACT In recent years, almond anthracnose has developed into a major problem for the California almond industry. The identification of the causal pathogen as Colletotrichum acutatum was confirmed using species-specific primers and restriction fragment length polymorphisms of ribosomal DNA in comparative studies with isolates of C. acutatum from strawberry and C. gloeosporioides from citrus. Two distinct clonal subpopulations among the almond isolates of C. acutatum were identified. These two subpopulations differed in their colony appearance (pink versus gray cultures), conidial morphology, virulence in laboratory inoculation studies, temperature relationships for growth, and molecular fingerprints using random and simple-repeat primers in polymerase chain reactions. Both subpopulations were commonly isolated from the same orchard or even the same fruit. In other orchards, one subpopulation predominated over the other subpopulation. Using random, simple-repeat, and species-specific primers, isolates of the almond anthracnose pathogen from Israel were very similar to the California isolates that produce gray colonies. In addition to fruit, the pathogen was isolated from blighted blossoms, water-soaked or necrotic leaf lesions, symptomless peduncles, and spurs and wood from branches showing dieback symptoms, indicating that the amount of tissue that may be infected is more extensive than previously considered. Overwintering fruit mummies were identified as inoculum sources for early spring infections. Growth studies using almond kernels with different moisture contents indicated that postharvest damage of stored kernels likely originates from preharvest field infections.     

Molecular and biological characterization of a severe isolate of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid</Emphasis> containing a novel terminal right (T<Subscript>R</Subscript>) domain sequence

Tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid (TCDVd) manually inoculated to transgenic (cv.‘Desiree’) potato plants containing antimicrobial cationic peptides failed to develop symptoms in above ground plant parts, but infected tubers were symptomatic. Plants from the infected tubers (second generation plants) emerged as either severely stunted (bushy stunt isolate, BSI) or tall and symptomless. Molecular characterization of BSI isolates showed TCDVd sequence variants 95 to 98% identical to TCDVd sequences from the database, while a viroid variant identical to TCDVd type isolate (acc # AF162131) was cloned from symptomless plants. The TCDVd BSI variants had novel U165C, GU177-178AA, and UCAC181-184CUUU nucleotide substitutions in the terminal right (T_R) domain of the viroid molecule. The cloned viroid cDNAs of the BSI were infectious to experimental (cv. ‘Sheyenne’) tomato plants causing stunted plants with profuse auxiliary shoots. Visual evaluation of the susceptibility of the BSI to 18 potato and 21 tomato cultivars revealed severe symptoms in most cultivars of both species. The progeny variants accumulating in each potato and tomato cultivar exhibited the same novel T_R domain in most cultivars, with only a slight variation in a few. The severity of the stunting symptoms induced by TCDVd from BSI isolates in both potato and tomato cultivars has not been noted previously with other TCDVd isolates and, as such, it is proposed that this new isolate be recognized as a distinct genotype. Emergence of this type of sequence variant in commercial fields or commercial tomato greenhouses could potentially cause relevant losses in both crops.     

山西省枣树上啤酒花矮化类病毒的检测及序列分析

［目的］ 从枣树样品中分离鉴定啤酒花矮化类病毒（HSVd）。［方法］ 从山西省农业科学院果树研究所国家枣种质资源圃采集70份枣树叶片样品,提取小分子RNA后通过Northern杂交、RT PCR进行检测,并对阳性样品中的类病毒进行克隆测序,利用生物学软件对所得序列进行分析。 ［结果］ 70份枣树样品中有1份样品感染HSVd,克隆测序后,共获得13条HSVd序列,它们与GenBank上首次报道的HSVd序列相似性为92.6%~92.8% 。［结论］ 本研究首次在国内报道了枣树上分离得到的HSVd序列,HSVd枣树分离物与已报道的HSVd分离物差异较大。