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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #222517
Title: Nucleotide Sequence of the Tripartite Fragaria chiloensis cryptic virus and Presence of the Virus in the Americas

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

Submitted to: Virus Genes
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/5/2007
Publication Date: 2/17/2008
Citation: Tzanetakis, I.E., Martin, R.R. 2008. Nucleotide Sequence of the tripartite Fragaria chiloensis cryptic virus and presence of the virus in the Americas. Virus Genes. 36:267-272.

Interpretive Summary: With the occurrence of a general decline of strawberries along the west coast of North America, an attempt has been made to identify and develop diagnostic tests for all viruses of strawberry. This work reports the identification of a new virus detected in Fragaria chiloensis germplasm. The virus has been named Fragaria chiloensis cryptic virus (FCCV) based on relationships with other known viruses. The virus has been sequenced and is most closely related to members of the fungi-infecting Partitivirus genus rather than members of the plant-infecting Alphacryptovirus. This may provide insight into the evolution of plant-infecting cryptic viruses. A means of detection for this virus has been developed. More than three hundred strawberry plants from North and South America were tested for FCCV, and the virus was only detected in plants from South America. Thus, it appears that this virus is not a factor in the decline of strawberries that has been observed in the field. The detection method developed can be used to insure germplasm introduced from South America is free of this virus.

Technical Abstract: The plant used in the characterization of Fragaria chiloensis latent virus contained double-stranded RNA bands that did not correspond in size to the genomic and subgenomic RNAs of known strawberry viruses. Using shotgun cloning, sequences of a previously unknown cryptic virus were obtained. This communication presents the sequence of the novel virus named Fragaria chiloensis cryptic virus (FCCV). The genome of FCCV consists of three monocistronic RNAs, an unusual feature for cryptic viruses that are normally bipartite. The largest molecule encodes an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase while the other two encode closely related proteins predicted to be the coat proteins of the virus. Phylogenetic analysis showed that FCCV is related most closely to members of the fungi-infecting Partitivirus genus rather than members of the plant-infecting Alphacryptovirus, providing a possible insight into the evolution of cryptic viruses. More than three hundred strawberry plants from North and South America were tested for FCCV, and the virus was only detected in plants from South America.