Abstract
Ringspot symptoms in European mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia L.), fig mosaic, rose rosette, raspberry leaf blotch, pigeonpea sterility mosaic (Cajanus cajan) and High Plains disease of maize and wheat were found to be associated with viruses that share several characteristics. They all have single-stranded multipartite RNA genomes of negative orientation. In some cases, double membrane-bound virus-like particles of 80 to 200 nm in diameter were found in infected tissue. Furthermore, at least five of these viruses were shown to be vectored by eriophyid mites. Sequences of European mountain ash ringspot-associated virus (EMARaV), Fig mosaic virus (FMV), rose rosette virus (RRV), raspberry leaf blotch virus (RLBV), pigeonpea sterility mosaic virus and High Plains virus strongly support their potential phylogenetic relationship. Therefore, after characterization of EMARaV, the novel genus Emaravirus was established, and FMV was the second virus species assigned to this genus. The recently sequenced RRV and RLBV are supposed to be additional members of this new group of plant RNA viruses.
Highlights
In the taxonomy of viruses, genome organization as well as nucleic acid and deduced amino acid sequence data are the main attributes to describe a virus family or genus, in addition to particle morphology, transmission and serological typing
There are still several putative virus species which have been known for a long time but have not yet been classified. This might be due to inadequate characterization or dissimilarity to other known viruses. Among this group of putative novel viruses, agents associated with the ringspot disease of European mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia L.), fig mosaic disease (FMD), rose rosette disease (RRD), High Plains disease (HPD) of wheat and maize, pigeonpea sterility mosaic disease (PPSMD) and raspberry leaf blotch disorder (RLBD) share similarities with respect to their genomic organization and some of their biological properties
Four of the six virus diseases, ringspot disease of mountain ash, FMD, RRD and HPD, were shown to be associated with the occurrence of electron-dense structures known as double-membrane-bound bodies (DMBs) [51] with diameters differing within the range of 80 to 200 nm
Summary
In the taxonomy of viruses, genome organization as well as nucleic acid and deduced amino acid sequence data are the main attributes to describe a virus family or genus, in addition to particle morphology, transmission and serological typing. This might be due to inadequate characterization or dissimilarity to other known viruses Among this group of putative novel viruses, agents associated with the ringspot disease of European mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia L.), fig mosaic disease (FMD), rose rosette disease (RRD), High Plains disease (HPD) of wheat and maize, pigeonpea sterility mosaic disease (PPSMD) and raspberry leaf blotch disorder (RLBD) share similarities with respect to their genomic organization and some of their biological properties. Genomic sequence information is limited for High Plains virus (HPV, referred to as maize red stripe virus—MRSV [10]) and pigeonpea sterility mosaic virus (PPSMV) [11], sequence similarities were found to EMARaV and to FMV, indicating a putative phylogenetic relationship [2,4] This communication will resume the state of knowledge about these viruses and their associated diseases.
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