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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Salinas, California » Crop Improvement and Protection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #170142
Title: BEET POLEROVIRUSES: CLOSE FRIENDS OR DISTANT RELATIVES?

Author
item STEVENS, MARK - BROOM'S BARN RES.STN.,UK
item FREEMAN, BENJAMIN - BROOM'S BARN RES.STN., UK
item Liu, Hsing Yeh
item LEMAIRE, OLIVIER - INRA, UR-BIVV, FRANCE

Submitted to: Molecular Plant Pathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/18/2004
Publication Date: 2/1/2005
Citation: Stevens, M., Freeman, B., Liu, H., Lemaire, O. Beet poleroviruses: close friends or distant relatives?. Molecular Plant Pathology. 2005. v. 6(1). p. 1-9.

Interpretive Summary: The dissection of the relationships between the beet poleroviruses as well as the clarification of their taxonomy has been a goal for several decades. The Luteoviridae consists of a number of economically important phloem-limited, positive-stand RNA viruses which are persistently transmitted by a range of ubiquitous aphid species. Within the family there are three genera; Luteovirus, Polerovirus and Enamovirus, each of which is respectively characterized by the type species Barley yellow dwarf virus-PAV (BYDV-PAV), Potato leafroll virus (RLRV), see review by Taliansky et al., 2003) and Pea enation mosaic virus -1 (PEMV -1). In the Polerovirus genus there are three key beet-infecting species, Beet mild yellowing virus (BMYV), Beet western yellows virus (BWYV) and the recently characterized Beet chlorosis virus (BChV). A fourth polerovirus, Turnip yellows virus (TuYV; syn. European non-beet infecting strains of BWYV) shares any characteristics with these viruses but does not infect Beta species. The distribution and nomenclature of the beet poleroviruses along with the role these viruses play in the epidemiology of crops such as sugar beet and oilseed rape, has remained a contentious issue since their initial identification in the mid-1950s. However, molecular characterization of these viruses has shed new light on their inter-relationships and the roles that they play in disease complexes.

Technical Abstract: The Luteoviridae consists of a number of economically important phloem-limited, positive-strand RNA viruses which are persistently transmitted by a range of ubiquitous aphid species. Within the family there are three genera; Luteovirus, Polerovirus and Enamovirus, each of which is respectively characterized by the type species Barley yellow dwarf virus-PAV (BYDV-PAV), Potato leafroll virus (PLRV, see review by Taliansky et al., 2003) and Pea enation mosaic virus -1 (PEMV -1). In the Polerovirus genus there are three key beet-infecting species, Beet mild yellowing virus (BMYV), Beet western yellows virus (BWYV) and the recently characterized Beet chlorosis virus (BChV). A fourth polerovirus, Turnip yellows virus (TuYV; syn. European non-beet infecting strains of BWYV) shares many characteristics with these viruses but does not infect Beta species. The distribution and nomenclature of the beet poleroviruses along with the role these viruses play in the epidemiology of crops such as sugar beet and oilseed rape, has remained a contentious issue since their initial identification in the mid-1950s. However, molecular characterization of these viruses has shed new light on their inter-relationships and the roles that they play in disease complexes.