Molecular characterization of closteroviruses infecting Cordyline fruticosa L. in Hawaii

Characterization of Ti Ringspot-Associated Virus, a Novel Emaravirus Associated with an Emerging Ringspot Disease of Cordyline fruticosa

Ti ringspot is an emerging foliar disease of the ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa) in Hawaii that is quickly spreading throughout the islands. Symptoms include small chlorotic ringspots on leaves that often coalesce to form larger lesions. Although several virus species have been discovered in symptomatic plants, none have been associated with these symptoms. Here, we report and characterize a novel virus closely associated with ti ringspot symptoms in Hawaii. The presence of double membrane bodies approximately 85 nm in diameter in symptomatic cells and sequence analyses of five genomic RNA segments obtained by high-throughput sequencing indicate that this virus is most closely related to members of the plant virus genus Emaravirus. Phylogenetic and sequence homology analyses place this virus on a distinct clade within the Emaravirus genus along with High Plains wheat mosaic emaravirus, blue palo verde broom virus, and Raspberry leaf blotch emaravirus. Sequence identity values with taxonomically relevant proteins indicate that this represents a new virus species, which we are tentatively naming ti ringspot-associated virus (TiRSaV). TiRSaV-specific reverse transcription PCR assays detected the virus in several experimental herbaceous host species following mechanical inoculation. TiRSaV was also detected in eriophyid mites collected from symptomatic ti plants, which may represent a putative arthropod vector of the virus.

Inspirations on Virus Replication and Cell-to-Cell Movement from Studies Examining the Cytopathology Induced by Lettuce infectious yellows virus in Plant Cells

Lettuce infectious yellows virus (LIYV) is the type member of the genus Crinivirus in the family Closteroviridae. Like many other positive-strand RNA viruses, LIYV infections induce a number of cytopathic changes in plant cells, of which the two most characteristic are: Beet yellows virus-type inclusion bodies composed of vesicles derived from cytoplasmic membranes; and conical plasmalemma deposits (PLDs) located at the plasmalemma over plasmodesmata pit fields. The former are not only found in various closterovirus infections, but similar structures are known as 'viral factories' or viroplasms in cells infected with diverse types of animal and plant viruses. These are generally sites of virus replication, virion assembly and in some cases are involved in cell-to-cell transport. By contrast, PLDs induced by the LIYV-encoded P26 non-virion protein are not involved in replication but are speculated to have roles in virus intercellular movement. These deposits often harbor LIYV virions arranged to be perpendicular to the plasma membrane over plasmodesmata, and our recent studies show that P26 is required for LIYV systemic plant infection. The functional mechanism of how LIYV P26 facilitates intercellular movement remains unclear, however, research on other plant viruses provides some insights on the possible ways of viral intercellular movement through targeting and modifying plasmodesmata via interactions between plant cellular components and viral-encoded factors. In summary, beginning with LIYV, we review the studies that have uncovered the biological determinants giving rise to these cytopathological effects and their importance in viral replication, virion assembly and intercellular movement during the plant infection by closteroviruses, and compare these findings with those for other positive-strand RNA viruses.

Characterization of Canna yellow mottle virus in a New Host, Alpinia purpurata, in Hawaii

Canna yellow mottle virus (CaYMV) is an important badnavirus infecting Canna spp. worldwide. This is the first report of CaYMV in flowering ginger (Alpinia purpurata) in Hawaii, where it is associated with yellow mottling and necrosis of leaves, vein streaking, and stunted plants. We have sequenced CaYMV in A. purpurata (CaYMV-Ap) using a combination of next-generation sequencing and traditional Sanger sequencing techniques. The complete genome of CaYMV-Ap was 7,120 bp with an organization typical of other Badnavirus species. Our results indicated that CaYMV-Ap was present in the episomal form in infected flowering ginger. We determined that this virus disease is prevalent in Hawaii and could potentially have significant economic impact on the marketing of A. purpurata as cut flowers. There is a potential concern that the host range of CaYMV-Ap may expand to include other important tropical plants.

Deep sequencing of banana bract mosaic virus from flowering ginger (Alpinia purpurata) and development of an immunocapture RT-LAMP detection assay

Banana bract mosaic virus (BBrMV) has never been reported in banana plants in Hawaii. In 2010, however, it was detected in a new host, flowering ginger (Alpinia purpurata). In this study, we characterize the A. purpurata isolate and study its spread in flowering ginger in Hawaii. A laboratory study demonstrated that BBrMV could be transmitted from flowering ginger to its natural host, banana, therefore raising a serious concern about the potential risk to the rapidly growing banana industry of Hawaii. To quickly monitor this virus in the field, we developed a robust immunocapture reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (IC-RT-LAMP) assay. Deep sequencing of the BBrMV isolate from A. purpurata revealed a single-stranded RNA virus with a genome of 9,713 nt potentially encoding a polyprotein of 3,124 aa, and another predicted protein, PIPO, in the +2 reading-frame shift. Most of the functional motifs in the Hawaiian isolate were conserved among the genomes of isolates from one found in the Philippines and India. However, the A. purpurata isolate had an amino acid deletion in the Pl protein that was most similar to the Philippine isolate. Phylogenetic analysis of an eastern Pacific subpopulation that included A. purpurata was closest in genetic distance to a Southeast Asian subpopulation, suggesting frequent gene flow and supporting the hypothesis that the A. purpurata isolate arrived in Hawaii from Southeast Asia.

Genomic detection and characterization of a Korean isolate of Little cherry virus 1 sampled from a peach tree

A peach tree (Prunus persica) showing yellowing and mild mottle symptoms was analyzed using high-throughput RNA sequencing to determine the causal agent. A total of nine contigs similar to Little cherry virus 1 (LChV-1) were produced, and all the contigs showed nucleotide sequence identity (lower than 83 %) and query coverage (higher than 73 %) with LChV-1. The symptomatic peach sample was confirmed to be infected with LChV-1-like virus as a result of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction using primers designed based on sequences of the contigs. Occurrence of diseases caused by LChV-1 in Prunus species has been reported. Complete 16,931-nt genome of the peach virus composed of eight open reading frames was determined, and conserved domains including viral methyltransferase, viral helicase 1, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), heat shock protein 70 homologue (HSP70h), HSP90h and closterovirus coat protein (CP) were identified. Phylogenetic trees based on amino acid sequence alignments between the peach virus and members in the family Closteroviridae showed that the virus was most similar to LChV-1. Pairwise comparisons based on amino acid sequence alignments of three genes (RdRp, HSP70h and CP) between the peach virus and LChV-1 isolates showed the highest amino acid sequence identities, with 84.32 % for RdRp, 85.48 % for HSP70h and 80.45 % for CP. These results indicate that this is the first report for the presence of LChV-1 in South Korea and may be one of the first reports of natural infection of peach by LChV-1. Although it is not clear if LChV-1 YD isolate was responsible for specific symptoms observed, detection and characterization of the peach tree-infecting LChV-1 in South Korea would be useful in terms of the epidemiology of LChV-1.

An assemblage of divergent variants of a novel putative closterovirus from American persimmon

Deep-sequencing analysis of nucleic acids extracted from leaf tissue of an American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana L.) and subsequent-sequencing analyses uncovered at least four distinct closterovirus-like molecules. Two complete genomes of 18,569 and 18,030 nucleotides (nt) and partial genomes of 4,899 and 9,019 nt were determined. The two complete genomes encoded 11 potential open reading frames and the characteristic organization of closteroviruses. Among the four genomes, the putative heat shock protein 70 homolog (HSP70h), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and coat protein showed 82-85, 72-91, and 84-87 % amino acid sequence identities, respectively. These results suggested that the four identified viruses could be divergent variants in a single host plant. The phylogenetic tree based on HSP70h showed that their closest relative, although distant, is Olive leaf yellowing-associated virus, a putative unassigned member of the family Closteroviridae. The name Persimmon virus B was proposed for this new virus, representing another unassigned member of the family.

Differentiation and distribution of cordyline viruses 1-4 in Hawaiian ti plants (Cordyline fruticosa L.)

Common green ti plants (Cordyline fruticosa L.) in Hawaii can be infected by four recently characterized closteroviruses that are tentative members of the proposed genus Velarivirus. In this study, a reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay developed to detect and distinguish Cordyline virus 1 (CoV-1), CoV-2, CoV-3, and CoV-4 was used to determine: (i) the distribution of these viruses in Hawaii; and (ii) if they are involved in the etiology of ti ringspot disease. One hundred and thirty-seven common green ti plants with and without ti ringspot symptoms were sampled from 43 sites on five of the Hawaiian Islands and underwent the RT-PCR assay. Eleven ornamental ti varieties were also sampled and assayed. Based on this survey, it appears none of the CoVs are involved in the etiology of ti ringspot. The observation of a non-uniform geographic distribution of the CoVs in common green ti, combined with the presence of CoVs in seed-derived ornamental varieties, suggests active vector transmission. Eight herbarium specimens collected between 1903 and 2003 from plants on the island of Oahu also underwent the RT-PCR assay. Amplifiable RNA was isolated from accessions collected in 1985 or later, however only the 2003 accession was found to harbor CoVs.