Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #421601
Research Project: Development of Novel Disease Control Strategies Based on Virus and Viroid Biology

Location: Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory

Title: Genomic insights into host-specific adaptations and transmission pathways of a Mexican ToBRFV isolate

Author
item ZAMORA-MACORRA, ERICA - Universidad Autonoma Agraria Antonio Narro
item OCHOA-MARTINEZ, DANIEL - Universidad Autonoma Agraria Antonio Narro
item CHAVARIN-CAMACHO, CLAUDIA - Universidad Autonoma Agraria Antonio Narro
item Hammond, Rosemarie
item AVINA-PADILLA, KATIA - Langebio Cinvestav

Submitted to: Frontiers in Plant Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/7/2025
Publication Date: 8/15/2025
Citation: Zamora-Macorra, E.J., Ochoa-Martinez, D.L., Chavarin-Camacho, C.Y., Hammond, R., Avina-Padilla, K. 2025. Genomic insights into host-specific adaptations and transmission pathways of a Mexican ToBRFV isolate. Frontiers in Plant Science. 16. Article e1580000. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2025.1580000.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2025.1580000

Interpretive Summary: Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) is an emergent tobamovirus that poses a critical threat to global agriculture, particularly affecting essential Solanaceae crops such as tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and pepper (Capsicum annum). In greenhouse settings, ToBRFV transmission is predominantly mechanical, facilitated by routine agricultural practices that inadvertently promote viral spread. Herein we provide a detailed characterization of a Mexican ToBRFV isolate, emphasizing host-specific mutations, adaptive genetic traits, and seed-borne transmission potential. By integrating genomic analysis, experimental validation, and biosecurity considerations, this research advances understanding of ToBRFV’s adaptability and transmission dynamics, addressing both regional and global challenges posed by this significant agricultural pathogen.

Technical Abstract: Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) poses a global threat to tomato and pepper production due to its high transmissibility and adaptability. Understanding its genomic features and transmission mechanisms is critical for effective disease management. We characterizedthe genome and biological properties of a ToBRFV isolate from Mexico. Comparative genomic analyses were conducted using 100 global genomes, with particular focus on single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and their distribution across different host species. Phylogenetic analysis and experimental bioassays, including seed transmission tests, were also performed. Phylogenetic analysis reveals genetic proximity between the Mexican isolate and strains from Mexico, USA, Canada, Israel and China, indicating shared transmission routes. Genomic comparisons confirmed general sequence stability, but SNVs were found in the 126-kDa replicase, particularly within the methyltransferace domain. These SNVs exhibited host-associated patterns, with conserved profiles in tomato and unique substitutions in Capsicum annuum, Solanum nigrum, and Citrullus lanatus. Bioassays demonstrated susceptibility in additional solanaceous hosts,and seed transmission assays in Nicotiana rustica indicated reduced germination and low-frequency viral detection in seedlings. This study highlights the genomic conservation and host-specific variation that ToBRFV, suggesting that the methyltransferase domain may undergo differential evolutionary pressures. The findings provide valuable insights for improving risk assessment, seed health testing, and biosecurity measures.