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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #209626
Title: Identification, Detection and Characterization of Raspberry mottle virus, a Novel Member of the Closteroviridae

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

Submitted to: Virus Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/15/2007
Publication Date: 7/3/2007
Citation: Tzanetakis, I.E., Halgren, A., Martin, R.R. 2007. Identification, detection and characterization of Raspberry mottle virus, a novel member of the Closteroviridae. Virus Research. 127:26-33.

Interpretive Summary: Raspberry mosaic disease of red raspberry is caused by a virus complex of up to four different aphid-transmitted viruses. Two of the viruses have been characterized, but the remaining two (Raspberry leaf spot and Raspberry leaf mottle) are only recognized by symptoms they cause on various indicator plants. A red raspberry plant that induced mosaic symptoms on indicator plants was used as a source plant in attempts to identify other viruses associated with the raspberry mosaic disease. Double-stranded RNA (not present in virus-free plants) was purified, cloned and sequenced from the source plant. The sequences obtained were compared to known virus sequences and it was shown that three new viruses were present in this plant. One of the viruses, Raspberry mottle virus (RMoV) is a new member of Closterovirus genus and therefore should be aphid-transmitted. A laboratory test for detection of RMoV was developed and it was shown that this virus was present in both Raspberry leaf spot and Raspberry leaf mottle isolates from Scotland. The virus was also detected in field samples from Washington. The role of this virus in the raspberry mosaic complex and its possible role in severe crumbly fruit symptoms in plants infected with Raspberry bushy dwarf virus are being investigated. In single infections, RMoV does not appear to cause symptoms in raspberry. It is most likely that this virus is part of virus complex that can cause severe losses in red raspberry plants .

Technical Abstract: The raspberry mosaic disease is the single most important viral disease of raspberry. Four virus and virus-like agents, two of which are poorly characterized, are involved in symptom development. A red raspberry plant caused typical raspberry mosaic symptoms when grafted onto indicators. Three novel viruses were identified in this plant and this communication focuses on one of them, Raspberry mottle virus (RMoV), a new member of the family Closteroviridae. The complete nucleotide sequence of RMoV has been determined and exceeds 17 kilobases encoding 10 genes. The genome organization of RMoV is similar to that of Beet yellows virus, the type member of the Closterovirus genus, while phylogenetic analysis using the polymerase conserved motifs and the heat shock protein 70 homolog revealed a close relationship of RMoV with Strawberry chlorotic fleck associated virus and Citrus tristeza virus among the members of the genus, which suggests the possibility of an aphid vector. The genetic variability of the virus isolates from North America and Europe was investigated. The virus was detected in production areas in mixed infections with several other viruses, indicating that RMoV may impact raspberry production.