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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Frederick, Maryland » Foreign Disease-Weed Science Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #286248
Title: A previously undescribed potyvirus isolated and characterized from arborescent Brugmansia

Author
item Damsteegt, Vernon
item Stone, Andrew
item Smith, Oney
item MCDANIEL, LAWRENCE - American Type Culture Collections
item Sherman, Diana
item Dardick, Christopher - Chris
item Hammond, John
item Jordan, Ramon
item Schneider, William

Submitted to: Archives of Virology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2012
Publication Date: 2/5/2013
Citation: Damsteegt, V.D., Stone, A.L., Smith, O.P., Mcdaniel, L., Sherman, D.J., Dardick, C.D., Hammond, J., Jordan, R.L., Schneider, W.L. 2013. A previously undescribed potyvirus isolated and characterized from arborescent Brugmansia. Archives of Virology. 158:1235-1244.

Interpretive Summary: A novel, new virus was isolated from Brugmansia x candida Pers, (formerly Datura candida), an arborescent ornamental plant introduction from Colombia. The virus was biologically, physically, and molecularly characterized as a distinct new plant virus. The host range included several plant families and included nearly all tobacco species. The virus was very poorly transmitted by the green peach aphid and very easily mechanically transmitted. The virus was purified, cloned and sequenced, and compared to other known plant viruses. Utilizing new technologies for identification of viruses, it was shown to be a distinct new virus. Use of these new technologies will be important in identifying new viruses in the ornamental plant industry.

Technical Abstract: In 1969, a suspected virus disease was identified from an arborescent Brugmansia x candida Pers.(syn. Datura) candida Pers. tree. The disease was aphid transmissible at low rates, which declined following multiple mechanical passages. The viral particles were purified and analyzed, and purified virions were inoculated into healthy plants to recreate the symptoms. The flexuous virions had a mean length of 720-729 nm typical of potyviruses, and infected cells showed inclusion bodies typical of potyvirus infections. Analysis of infected tissues and purified virions with a panel of potyvirus specific monoclonal antibodies confirmed identification as a potyvirus. The viral host range, dilution end point, thermal tolerance and aphid transmission characteristics were examined and the viral RNA was sequenced. The viral genome is typical of potyviruses, with the closest related potyvirus being Pepper mottle virus, with a sequence identity of 72 percent. Based on the conventions for naming novel potyviruses the virus was determined to be a new species named Brugmansia mosaic virus (BruMV). BruMV was maintained for 40 years in a single host species with little change in the infection characteristics of the virus apart from a decline in aphid transmission efficiency.