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Abstract:
Two serologically unrelated sweetpotato viruses causing symptoms of vein clearing in the indicator plant Ipomoea setosa have been isolated and their genomes have been sequenced. They are associated to symptomless infections in sweet potato but distinct vein clearing symptoms and higher virus titres were observed when co-infected with Sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus (SPCSV) a worldwide distributed virus and mediator of severe virus diseases in this crop. Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis revealed an overall nucleotide identity of 47.6% and an arrangement of the MP and CP domains characteristic of members of genus Cavemovirus, family Caulimoviridae. We detected both cavemoviruses in cultivated sweetpotato from East Africa, Central America and the Caribbean islands but not in samples from South America. One of the viruses characterized showed a similar genome organization as, and formed a phylogenetic sub lineage with Tobacco vein clearing virus (TVCV) giving further support to the previously suggested separation of TVCV, and related viral sequences, into a new caulimovirid genus. Given their geographical distribution and previous reports of similar but yet unidentified viruses, sweetpotato cavemoviruses may co-occur with SPCSV more often than previously thought and they could therefore contribute to the extensive yield losses and cultivar decline caused by mixed viral infections in sweet potato.
[accessed 2014 January 30th]
Copyright © 2014 Society for General Microbiology
