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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Hilo, Hawaii » Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center » Tropical Plant Genetic Resources and Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #359335
Research Project: Management, Characterization, and Evaluation of Pacific Tropical and Subtropical Fruit and Nut Genetic Resources and Associated Information

Location: Tropical Plant Genetic Resources and Disease Research

Title: Further genomic characterization of pineapple mealybug wilt-associated viruses using high-throughput sequencing

Author
item GREEN, JAMES - University Of Hawaii
item AL RWAHNIH, M - University Of California, Davis
item OLMEDO, VELARDE - University Of Hawaii
item MELZER, MICHAEL - University Of Hawaii
item HAMIN, I - University Of Hawaii
item BORTH, WAYNE - University Of Hawaii
item Matsumoto Brower, Tracie
item Wall, Marisa
item HU, JOHN - University Of Hawaii

Submitted to: Tropical Plant Pathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/9/2019
Publication Date: 2/5/2020
Citation: Green, J.C., Al Rwahnih, M., Olmedo, V.A., Melzer, M.J., Hamin, I., Borth, W.B., Matsumoto Brower, T.K., Wall, M.M., Hu, J.S. 2020. Further genomic characterization of pineapple mealybug wilt-associated viruses using high-throughput sequencing. Tropical Plant Pathology. 45:64-72. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40858-019-00330-y.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40858-019-00330-y

Interpretive Summary: Pineapple mealybug wilt-associated virus (PMWaV) is an insect-vectored disease of pineapple, affecting all parts of the plant. There are three recognized PMWaV species and two putative species. In this paper, we describe the further genomic characterization of several PMWaV members of the genus Ampelovirus, family Closteroviridae using high-throughput sequencing (HTS). Resulted showed that PMWaV-4 is a distinct strain of PMWaV-1, but not a distinct Ampelovirus species. Therefore, we suggest that PMWaV-4 be designated PMWaV-1 strain 4. The genomic characterization of PMWaV species and strains is useful for understanding the complex etiology of mealybug wilt of pineapple and distinguishing among infectious and non-infectious virus subgroups.

Technical Abstract: In this study, we describe the further genomic characterization of several pineapple mealybug wilt-associated virus (PMWaV) members of the genus Ampelovirus, family Closteroviridae using high-throughput sequencing (HTS). PMWaV-2 is a necessary factor in the complex etiology of mealybug wilt disease of pineapple (MWP). The complete PMWaV-1 genome was described previously, but PMWaV-2, PMWaV-3, and the putative PMWaV-4 and PMWaV-5 genomes lack complete characterization. To further study MWP etiology through genomic characterization of PMWaVs, a cDNA library from total RNA of pineapple plants was generated and underwent HTS. A 13,150-nucleotide PMWaV-4 genome was assembled from the HTS data. This PMWaV-4 genome shared high amino acid (aa) homology to PMWaV-1. The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), heat shock protein 70 homolog (HSP70) and coat protein (CP) genes of PMWaV-4 shared 88, 87, and 85% amino acid identity, respectively, to those of PMWaV-1 (AF414119) indicating PMWaV-4 is a distinct strain of PMWaV-1 but not a distinct ampelovirus species. Therefore, we suggest that PMWaV-4 be designated PMWaV-1 strain 4 (MH704743). Further, we used HTS to supplement the existing available sequences of the genomes PMWaV-2 (MH704741) and PMWaV-3 (MH704742) in their 5’-terminal regions.