Biological and Genetic Characterization of Pod Pepper Vein Yellows Virus-Associated RNA From Capsicum frutescens in Wenshan, China.

Jiejun Peng,Hongying Zheng,Shan Bu,Songbai Zhang,Jianping Chen,Yuwen Lu,Yong Liu,Hairu Chen,Xiaohan Mo,Kuangjie Zhao,Mengying Hua,Qionglian Wan,Yueyan Yin,Fei Yan

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2021.662352

Abstract

Tombusvirus-like associated RNAs (tlaRNAs) are positive-sense single-stranded RNAs found in plants co-infected with some viruses of the genus Polerovirus. Pod pepper vein yellows virus (PoPeVYV) was recently reported as a new recombinant polerovirus causing interveinal yellowing, stunting, and leaf rolling in Capsicum frutescens plants at Wenshan city, Yunnan province, China. The complete genome sequence of its associated RNA has now been determined by next-generation sequencing and reverse transcription (RT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PoPeVYV-associated RNA (PoPeVYVaRNA) (GenBank Accession No. MW323470) has 2970 nucleotides and is closely related to other group II tlaRNAs, particularly tobacco bushy top disease-associated RNA (TBTDaRNA, GenBank Accession No. EF529625). In infection experiments on Nicotiana benthamiana and C. frutescens plants, synergism between PoPeVYVaRNA and PoPeVYV was demonstrated, leading to severe interveinal yellowing of leaves and stunting of plants. The results provide further information on the genetic and biological properties of the various agents associated with pepper vein yellows disease (PeVYD).

Highlights

Tombusvirus-like associated RNAs are often found in plants infected by some poleroviruses, including those that cause carrot motley dwarf disease, tobacco bushy top disease, and beet western yellows (Sanger et al, 1994; Mo et al, 2011; Campbell et al, 2020; Yoshida, 2020)
Symptoms of interveinal leaf yellowing resembling those caused by viruses were observed in pod pepper fields throughout Wenshan, China and, as we previously reported, a new recombinant polerovirus, Pod pepper vein yellows virus (PoPeVYV), was identified in 16 of 58 symptomatic samples (Zhao et al, 2021)
Following 5 and 3 RACE analysis, we determined the complete sequence of the Tombusvirus-like associated RNAs (tlaRNAs), which were identical in sequence and 2970 nt long (GenBank accession number: MW323470)

Summary

Introduction

Tombusvirus-like associated RNAs (tlaRNAs) are often found in plants infected by some poleroviruses, including those that cause carrot motley dwarf disease, tobacco bushy top disease, and beet western yellows (Sanger et al, 1994; Mo et al, 2011; Campbell et al, 2020; Yoshida, 2020). TlaRNAs lack a coat protein (CP) gene and depend on helper viruses of the genus Polerovirus for their encapsidation and transmission. The association of these RNAs with their poleroviruses facilitates movement and increases the accumulation of virus progeny within co-infected cells (Sanger et al, 1994; Syller, 2002; Mo et al, 2015; Yoshida, 2020). The tlaRNAs have a GGL amino acid triplet encoded by the nucleotides immediately following the amber stop codon and eight characteristic motifs of + ssRNA virus RdRps within the deduced amino acid sequences of ORF1b (Koonin, 1991). The ORF1b of all tlaRNAs has the GDD amino acid triplet characteristic of viral polymerases (Kamer and Argos, 1984)

Methods

Results

Conclusion