Detection of Jasmine virus H and characterization of a second pelarspovirus infecting star jasmine (Jasminum multiflorum) and angelwing jasmine (J. nitidum) plants displaying virus-like symptoms

Authors: DEY, KISHORE - University Of Hawaii; LEITE, MILENA - University Of Hawaii; HU, JOHN - University Of Hawaii; Jordan, Ramon; MELZER, MICHAEL - University Of Hawaii

Submitted to: Archives of Virology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/17/2018
Publication Date: 8/1/2018
Citation: Dey, K.K., Leite, M., Hu, J.S., Jordan, R.L., Melzer, M.J. 2018. Detection of Jasmine virus H and characterization of a second pelarspovirus infecting star jasmine (Jasminum multiflorum) and angelwing jasmine (J. nitidum) plants displaying virus-like symptoms. Archives of Virology. 163:3051-3058. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-018-3947-y.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-018-3947-y

Interpretive Summary: Star jasmine (Jasminum multiflorum) is a shrub with fragrant flowers commonly grown in Hawaii as a hedgerow or landscape accent plant. Throughout the island of Oahu, star jasmine plants express a diverse array of virus-like foliar symptoms including ringspots, line patterns, mosaic, mottling, and leaf deformation, often on the same plant. Similar symptoms were found on a related jasmine species (J. nitidum, angelwing jasmine) growing at the US National Arboretum in Washington, DC. Scientists in Hawaii and Maryland discovered two distinct virus species in these symptomatic plants, designated as Jasmine mosaic-associated virus 1 (JMaV-1) and JMaV-2, most often co-infecting the same host plants. Comparison of the DNA sequences of these two viruses indicated that they are new members of the genus Pelarspovirus (family Tombusviridae). Further analyses revealed that JMaV-1 was found in all symptomatic jasmine plants tested and that JMaV-2 was present, as a mixed infection, in close to 50% of the symptomatic plants tested. This information will be useful to ornamental nurseries, public and private plant disease diagnostic clinics, and other scientists who study ornamental viruses.

Technical Abstract: Star jasmine (Jasminum multiflorum) plants growing in Hawaii expressing a diverse array of virus-like foliar symptoms were examined for the presence of a causal agent. Symptomatic tissues collected from three locations on the island of Oahu, Hawaii consistently harbored double-stranded (ds)RNAs approximately 4.2 and 1.7 kbp in size. Sanger and high-throughput sequencing approaches revealed these dsRNAs were from two distinct virus species co-infecting the same host plant. These two viruses, designated as Jasmine mosaic-associated virus 1 (JMaV-1) and JMaV-2, were also both subsequently found, by next-generation sequencing, in a single angelwing jasmine (J. nitidum) plant exhibiting similar ringspot symptoms and growing at the US National Arboretum in Washington, DC. Phylogenetic placement, genome organization, and sequence comparisons indicate these two viruses are members of the genus Pelarspovirus (family Tombusviridae). To determine if either of these viruses were associated with the observed symptoms, a PCR-based detection assay was developed to detect and distinguish these two viruses in several Hawaiian plants. All 32 samples collected from four Oahu locations displayed symptoms. All 32 samples were positive for JMaV-1, and 16 were positive for JMaV-2. An asymptomatic star jasmine plant from the island of Hawaii was negative for both JMaV-1 and JMaV-2. Both viruses were also found in a symptomatic Jasminum sambac sample from MD and only JMaV-2 was detected in a symptomatic Jasminum sp. sample from CA.