Author
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Robertson, Nancy |
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Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 6/12/2007 Publication Date: 7/1/2007 Citation: Robertson, N.L. 2007. A new tymovirus from a native Alaskan plant, Mertensia paniculata. Phytopathology. 97(7):100 Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Diseased plants growing at the interface of managed and natural ecosystems may provide reservoirs for spread of diverse plant viruses into domestic and native plants. Mertensia paniculata (Ait.) G. Don, family Boraginaceae, is a native Alaskan plant that is naturally distributed along roadsides, in gardens as volunteers, and in natural landscapes along riverbanks and woods. In 2006, a new virus was isolated from roadside M. paniculata plants located between remnant woods and agricultural lands. Although infected M. paniculata plants had no obvious symptoms, mechanical transmission of sap to Nicotiana benthamiana resulted in severe mosaic. Purified virus preparations from N. benthamiana and M. paniculata contained spherical empty shells and virions ~25 nm in diameter with a coat protein (CP) ~20 kDa. Universal primers sets that are specific for viruses in the family Tymoviridae, generated PCR fragments of predicted sizes ~380 bp, ~600 bp, and ~680 bp, corresponded, respectively, to sequences within the replicase, methyltransferase, and CP genes. Thus, physical properties and genomic sequence segments were consistent with other members of the family Tymoviridae, and sequences were sufficiently distinct to suggest that it is a new tymovirus species. This is the first report of a virus detected in M. paniculata, and the first tymovirus detected in Alaska. |
