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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » Grain Legume Genetics Physiology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #388960
Research Project: Improving Genetic Resources and Disease Management for Cool Season Food Legumes

Location: Grain Legume Genetics Physiology Research

Title: A novel alphahypovirus that infects the fungal plant pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Author
item LIANG, WEIBO - Huazhong Agricultural University
item LU, ZHONGBO - Huazhong Agricultural University
item DUAN, JIE - Huazhong Agricultural University
item JIANG, DAOHONG - Huazhong Agricultural University
item XIE, JIATAO - Huazhong Agricultural University
item CHENG, JIASEN - Huazhong Agricultural University
item FU, YANPING - Huazhong Agricultural University
item CHEN, TAO - Huazhong Agricultural University
item LI, BO - Huazhong Agricultural University
item YU, XIAO - Huazhong Agricultural University
item Chen, Weidong
item LIN, YANG - Huazhong Agricultural University

Submitted to: Archives of Virology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/12/2021
Publication Date: 11/26/2021
Citation: Liang, W., Lu, Z., Duan, J., Jiang, D., Xie, J., Cheng, J., Fu, Y., Chen, T., Li, B., Yu, X., Chen, W., Lin, Y. 2021. A novel alphahypovirus that infects the fungal plant pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Archives of Virology. 167:213-217. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-021-05315-4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-021-05315-4

Interpretive Summary: The fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a devastating necrotrophic pathogen causing stem rot diseases on more than 600 plant species including many economical important crops. Managing Sclerotinia diseases is challenging because highly resistant crop varieties are not available, and the pathogen persists in soil for many years. Fungicides are available but are expensive and harmful to the environment, and not sustainable. Alternative measures are needed. One alternative approach is to exploit fungal viruses (mycoviruses) as biocontrol agents. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum harbors many mycoviruses and some are shown to be effective in inducing hypovirulence. This research is aimed at discovering mycoviruses in S. sclerotiorum. A collection of Sclerotinia strains from Washington state was screened for presence of mycoviruses. A new RNA virus, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum hypovirus 9 (SsHV9),was identified in the Sclerotinia sclerotiorum debilitating strain GB375 . The biocontrol potential of the mycovirus SsHV9 will be investigated.

Technical Abstract: A novel positive single-stranded RNA virus, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum hypovirus 9 (SsHV9), infecting Sclerotinia sclerotiorum debilitating strain GB375 that was associated with Garden bean in the United States, was identified. The complete genome of SsHV9 is 14,067 nucleotides in length, excluding a poly (A) tail. It has a single large open reading frame encoding a putative polyprotein (4,196 amino acids), which contains a papain-like protease, a protein of unknown function, an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and an RNA helicase. Phylogenetic analysis based on multiple alignments of amino acid sequences of polyproteins suggested SsHV9 belongs to proposed genus Alphahypovirus in the family Hypoviridae.