Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #177598

Title: NEW FEATURES IN THE GENUS ILAVIRUS REVEALED BY THE NUCLEOTIDE SEQUENCE OF FRAGARIA CHILOENSIS LATENT VIRUS

Author
item TZANETAKIS, I - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
item Martin, Robert

Submitted to: Virus Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/18/2005
Publication Date: 4/5/2005
Citation: Tzanetakis, I.E., Martin, R.R. 2005. New features in the genus ilavirus revealed by the nucleotide sequence of fragaria chiloensis latent virus. Virus Research. 112:32-37.

Interpretive Summary: The work described in the mansucript presents the entire sequence of Fragaria chiloensis latent virus (FClLV)and demonstrates that it belongs in the Ilarvirus genus of plant viruses. Fragaria chiloensis latent virus contains the same set of genes that is found in all ilarviruses and potentially has an extra gene, though its function is not known at this time. This is the third virus in this genus that has been reported to infect strawberry; tobacco streak and apple mosaic are the other two. In addition, the data presented strongly suggests that Alfalfa mosaic virus, which has been assigned to its own genus, should also be considered a member of the ilarviruses based on similarities to this group of viruses at the amino acid sequence level. The information presented here will form the basis for strawberry testing in North America.

Technical Abstract: Fragaria chiloensis latent virus (FClLV), a member of the genus Ilarvirus was first identified in the early 1990’s. Double-stranded RNA was extracted from FClLV infected plants and cloned. The complete nucleotide sequence of the virus has been elucidated. RNA 1 encodes a protein with methyltransferase and helicase enzymatic motifs while RNA 2 encodes the viral RNA dependent RNA polymerase and an ORF, that shares no homology with other Ilarvirus genes. RNA 3 codes for movement and coat proteins and an additional ORF, making FClLV possibly the first Ilarvirus encoding a third protein in RNA 3. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that FClLV is most closely related to Prune dwarf virus, the type member of subgroup 4 of the Ilarvirus genus. Fragaria chiloensis latent virus is also closely related to Alfalfa mosaic virus (AlMV), a virus that shares many properties with ilarviruses. We propose the reclassification of AlMV as a member of the Ilarvirus genus instead of being a member of a distinct genus.