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Title: CILIATED PROTOZOANS AS ALTERNATE HOSTS FOR WHEAT SPINDLE STREAK MOSAIC VIRUS

Author
item CADLE-DAVIDSON, L - CORNELL UNIVERSITY
item CADLE-DAVIDSON, M - CORNELL UNIVERSITY
item NERAD, T - AMERICAN TYPE CULTUR COLL
item Gray, Stewart
item BERGSTROM, G - CORNELL UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/5/2003
Publication Date: 6/1/2003
Citation: CADLE-DAVIDSON, L., CADLE-DAVIDSON, M., NERAD, T., GRAY, S.M., BERGSTROM, G. CILIATED PROTOZOANS AS ALTERNATE HOSTS FOR WHEAT SPINDLE STREAK MOSAIC VIRUS. PHYTOPATHOLOGY. 2003. p. 22.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Polymyxa graminis, a flagellated protozoan, is presumed to vector Wheat spindle streak mosaic virus (WSSMV) as well as numerous other soilborne viruses of grasses. In this study, we baited potential vectors from WSSMV-infected dried roots and found that two ciliated protozoans, Colpoda cucullus and Colpoda steineii harbor WSSMV internally. Direct sequencing of RT-PCR-amplified WSSMV RNA from six-month old monoxenic subcultures of Colpoda revealed that WSSMV replicates in Colpoda. Furthermore, preliminary confocal microscopy of immunostained Colpoda cultures detected the presence of both structural and non-structural viral proteins within the protozoan. To our knowledge, no ciliated protozoan has ever been shown to parasitize plants, making Colpoda a mysterious player in the disease cycle of WSSMV and potentially other soilborne viruses.