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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Plant Pathology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #393449
Research Project: Mitigating High Consequence Domestic, Exotic, and Emerging Diseases of Fruits, Vegetables, and Ornamentals

Location: Subtropical Plant Pathology Research

Title: Phylogenomic and population genetics analyses of extant tomato yellow leaf curl virus strains on a global scale

Author
item MARCHANT, WENDY - University Of Georgia
item MUGERWA, HABIBU - University Of Georgia
item GAUTAM, SAURABH - University Of Georgia
item AL-AQEEL, HAMED - University Of Georgia
item POLSTON, JANE - University Of Florida
item Rennberger, Gabriel
item SMITH, HUGH - University Of Florida
item Turechek, William
item Adkins, Scott
item BROWN, JUDITH - University Of Arizona
item SRINIVASAN, RAJAGOPALBABU - University Of Georgia

Submitted to: Frontiers in Virology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/30/2023
Publication Date: 7/25/2023
Citation: Marchant, W.G., Mugerwa, H., Gautam, S., Al-Aqeel, H., Polston, J.E., Rennberger, G., Smith, H., Turechek, W., Adkins, S.T., Brown, J., Srinivasan, R. 2023. Phylogenomic and population genetics analyses of extant tomato yellow leaf curl virus strains on a global scale. Frontiers in Virology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fviro.2023.1221156.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fviro.2023.1221156

Interpretive Summary: Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) is a begomovirus with a small genome that can easily be sequenced, making it an ideal model organism for studying evolutionary relationships. Seven unique strains of TYLCV have been recognized. Many studies have examined the phylogenetic history and spread of TYLCV. However, the evolutionary relationships among the strains and genetic factors shaping TYLCV strains worldwide remain incompletely understood. This study analyzed several hundred TYLCV genomes to shed light on the origins and spread of this economically important virus to help research and regulatory scientists.

Technical Abstract: Economically important tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) is a whitefly-transmitted begomovirus with a genome of ~2,800 base pairs that can readily be sequenced in its entirety. Seven unique strains of TYLCV have been recognized based on a 94% genome-wide pairwise identity demarcation threshold: TYLCV-Boushehr, TYLCV-Iran, TYLCV-Israel, TYLCV-Kahnoo, TYLCV-Kerman, TYLCV-Mild, and TYLCV-Oman. Many studies have examined the phylogenetic history and spread of TYLCV. This study used 440 non-recombinant and non-duplicate TYLCV genomes for population genetics and evolutionary analyses. Population genetics factors revealed that TYLCV strains are distinct from each other, and that only TYLCV-Israel was undergoing population expansion. The Middle East is the likely origin of TYLCV. Of the seven TYLCV strains, only TYLCV-Israel and TYLCV-Mild had global distributions - something that has changed dramatically during the last 50 years as international trade has increased. This study provides a temporal and spatial snapshot of the TYLCV populations at this time.