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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Frederick, Maryland » Foreign Disease-Weed Science Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #160351
Title: MOLECULAR ANALYSES OF CITRUS TRISTEZA VIRUS SUBISOLATES SEPARATED BY APHID TRANSMISSION

Author
item BRLANSKY, RONALD - UNIV. FLA, LK ALFRED
item Damsteegt, Vernon
item HOWD, D - UNIV. FLA, LK ALFRED
item ROY, A - UNIV. FLA, LK ALFRED

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/25/2003
Publication Date: 4/20/2003
Citation: Brlansky, R. H., Damsteegt, V. D., Howd, D. S., Roy, A. 2003. Molecular analyses of Citrus tristeza virus subisolates separated by aphid transmission. Plant Disease 87:397-401.

Interpretive Summary: Citrus trees are subject to many different virus diseases. One of the most important diseases is caused by the Citrus tristeza virus. There are many strains of the virus causing different reactions in the citrus trees. In nature, trees can be infected by several different strains at the same time. With the use of the brown citrus aphid, a very important vector of the virus, different strains can be separated in indicator hosts. When tested with monoclonal antibodies that distinguish different strains, unusual combinations of strains were found. Using more sensitive molecular primers to different regions of the virus genome, molecular profiles (fingerprints) were generated and compared. The profiles were sometimes very different from profiles obtained from the parent field isolates from which they were transmitted.

Technical Abstract: Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) exists in field isolates as a complex of virus isolates. This complex may contain both mild and severe CTV. Using single and multiple aphid transmissions, subisolates of the various field isolates were separated. Some CTV isolates that tested negative with the monoclonal antibody MCA13 consisted of MCA13-positive subisolates. Using primers to specific and variable regions of the CTV genome, molecular profiles of the isolates and subisolates were generated and compared. The profiles of the subisolates sometimes were very different from the parent field isolates from which they were transmitted.