Sequence analysis of 43-year old samples of Plantago lanceolata show that Plantain virus X is synonymous with Actininidia virus X and is widely distributed

Authors: Hammond, John; ADAMS, IAN - Fera Science Ltd; FOWKES, AIMEE - Fera Science Ltd; MCGRIEGS, SAM - Fera Science Ltd; BOTERMANS, MARLENE - Plant Protection Research Institute; VON OORSPRONK, JOANIEKE J.A. - Wageningen University And Research Center; WESTENBERG, MARCEL - Wageningen University And Research Center; VERBEEK, MARTIN - Wageningen University And Research Center; DULLEMANS, ANNETTE - Wageningen University And Research Center; STIJGER, CHRISTINA C.M.M - Wageningen University And Research Center; BLOUIN, ARNAUD - University Of Liege; MASSART, SEBASTIEN - University Of Liege; DE JONGHE, KRIS - Flanders Research Institute For Agriculture; HEYNEMAN, MAAIKE - Flanders Research Institute For Agriculture; WALSH, JOHN - University Of Warwick; FOX, ADRIAN - Fera Science Ltd

Submitted to: Plant Pathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/15/2020
Publication Date: 11/7/2020
Citation: Hammond, J., Adams, I., Fowkes, A.R., Mcgriegs, S., Botermans, M., Von Oorspronk, J., Westenberg, M., Verbeek, M., Dullemans, A., Stijger, C., Blouin, A., Massart, S., De Jonghe, K., Heyneman, M., Walsh, J.A., Fox, A. 2020. Sequence analysis of 43-year old samples of Plantago lanceolata show that Plantain virus X is synonymous with Actininidia virus X and is widely distributed. Plant Pathology. 70(2):249-258. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.13310.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.13310

Interpretive Summary: Plantain virus X was first recognized as a species in the genus Potexvirus in 1982, but as with many plant viruses, it was not possible to determine if this was a unique species until the advent of sequence analysis. A group of scientists from the UK, Netherlands, and USA determined the sequence of two 43-year old isolates of plantain virus X (PlVX) from Plantago lanceolata in the United Kingdom, and partial sequences of several contemporary isolates collected from the same area. The data reveal that PlVX is synonymous with actinidia virus X, first reported from Actinidia chinensis (kiwifruit) in New Zealand in 2010, and later from Ribes nigrum (blackcurrant) in Canada. Parallel studies revealed natural infections of PlVX in P. lanceolata in the Netherlands, and in Browallia americana in Belgium. Further examination of a previously unidentified potexvirus detected in Capsicum annuum (pepper) imported to the Netherlands in 2011 revealed that this too was PlVX. These studies demonstrated that although originally described only from a weed species in the United Kingdom, PlVX has a broader geographic distribution and naturally infects several more hosts than previously known.

Technical Abstract: Plantain virus X was first recognized by the ICTV as a species in the genus Potexvirus in 1982. However, because no sequence was available for plantain virus X (PlVX), abolishing the species was proposed to the Flexiviridae working group of the ICTV in 2015. This initiated efforts to sequence the original isolates from Plantago lanceolata samples. Here we report the full genome sequencing of two original isolates of PlVX, which have demonstrated the virus to be synonymous to Actinidia virus X a species previously reported from kiwifruit (Actinidia sp.) and blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum). PlVX was previously noted to be widespread in the UK in P. lanceolata. This report additionally presents novel data on the distribution and diversity of PlVX, collected at the same site as the original UK isolates, and from three independent surveys, two in The Netherlands and one in Belgium. This study also includes two new host records for PlVX, Browallia americana and Capsicum annuum (sweet pepper), indicating the virus is more widespread and infects a broader range of hosts than previously reported. This stresses the importance of surveys of non-cultivated species to gain insight into viral distribution and host range. This study also demonstrates the value of generating sequence data for isolates retained in virus collections. Additionally, it demonstrates the potential value in pre-publication data-sharing for giving context to virus detections such as the four independent studies here which, when combined, give greater clarity to the identity, diversity, distribution and host range of plantain virus X.