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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #192843

Title: NUCLEOTIDE SEQUENCE OF BLACKBERRY YELLOW VEIN ASSOCIATED VIRUS, A NOVEL MEMBER OF THE CLOSTEROVIRIDAE

Author
item TZANETAKIS, I - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
item SUSAIMUTHU, J - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item GERGERICH, R - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item Martin, Robert

Submitted to: Virus Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2006
Publication Date: 3/24/2006
Citation: Tzanetkis, I.E., Susaimuthu, J., Gergerich, R.C., Martin, R.R. 2006. Nucleotide sequence of blackberry yellow vein associated virus, a novel member of the closteroviridae. Virus Research. 116(1-2):196-200.

Interpretive Summary: Virus-like vein yellowing and decline symptoms have been observed in blackberries in the southern and southeastern USA since 2000. A new crinivirus that was detected in all symptomatic plants and named Blackberry yellow vein associated virus (BYVaV) was sequenced. Based on sequence analysis, the virus is related to Beet pseudo yellows virus, another crinivirus that infects blackberry. The sequences of the coat protein gene of two additional isolates of the virus from plants that exhibited varying degrees of symptoms and one isolate from a plant that was symptomless were compared and found to be virtually identical. This suggests that differences in virus strains are not responsible for the symptom variation. It is likely that the disease is caused by a virus complex, and symptom variation may be due to cultivar differences or different virus complexes.

Technical Abstract: The complete nucleotide sequence of a novel member of the genus Crinivirus (family Closteroviridae), isolated from blackberry and tentatively named Blackberry yellow vein associated virus, was determined. The virus possesses a bipartite genome. RNA 1 is 7801 nucleotides in length and papain-like protease, methyltransferase, RNA helicase and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase motifs have been identified in the proteins coded for by this molecule. The polymerase is probably expressed via a +1 ribosomal frameshift, a common feature among members of the Closteroviridae. RNA 2 is 7917 nucleotides long and encodes nine open reading frames, similar in size and position to orthologous genes of other criniviruses with the exception of a second hydrophobic peptide found near the 5' terminus of the molecule. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a close relationship between Blackberry yellow vein associated virus and Beet pseudo yellows virus, another crinivirus that infects small fruit crops.