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

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 demonstrate that the virus is 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 noncultivated 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 prepublication 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.

Global challenges facing plant pathology: multidisciplinary approaches to meet the food security and environmental challenges in the mid-twenty-first century

“…Many of these pathogens have been included in plant health regulations around the globe, and some are even recognized as species. However, with the increased use of non-targeted sequence-based detection, combined with the limited resources available for time consuming and costly biological characterization work there are examples of 'rediscovery' , such as the case of plantain virus X and Actinidia virus X, two synonymous viruses discovered at opposite sides of the globe, over 30 years apart, and in unrelated hosts (Hammond et al 2020), a case study pulling together two recognized species discovered 30+ years apart (pre and post sequencing eras) where the conclusions being drawn on the risk of the latter were incorrect due to lack of knowledge on the first non-sequenced report. Historic isolate collections can be an invaluable resource.…”

Integrating High throughput Sequencing into Survey Design Reveals Turnip Yellows Virus and Soybean Dwarf Virus in Pea (Pisum Sativum) in the United Kingdom

“…PSbMV was only found in three symptomatic samples and PNYDV was not found in this initial work. Sequencing of historic isolates can also give greater understanding of the plant health impact of more recent virus discoveries [58]. The finding of TuYV and SbDV in a historical isolate shows that these viruses have been present in the UK for at least a decade.…”

Historical virus isolate collections: An invaluable resource connecting plant virology’s pre‐sequencing and post‐sequencing eras

“…Later, when other potyvirus sequences were compared with it, a 79% nt identity was found between ArVY and an arracacha mottle virus isolate from Brazil in 2013 (Orílio et al, 2009(Orílio et al, , 2013, revealing the Brazilian virus to be ArVY (Adams et al, 2018b). Another example of (a) was revealed recently when 43-year-old samples of Plantago lanceolata infected with the plantain virus X (PlVX; genus Potexvirus) were sequenced (Hammond et al, 2020). This resulted in the finding that PlVX and Actinidia virus X (AVX; genus Potexvirus) sequences belonged to the same virus.…”

“…Subsequently, AVX was detected in Ribes nigrum plants with symptoms (James & Phelan, 2016); previously, AVX had not been reported in Europe, and so the virus was considered a possible quarantine risk to the EU. Whilst investigating PlVX in the UK, samples from the original study were located in an historical virus isolate collection; virus from these samples was sequenced and it was demonstrated that PlVX and AVX were synonymous, with subsequent research showing the virus to be widespread in the environment in northern Europe (Hammond et al, 2020). This example suggests a further, as yet underexploited, application of historical isolate sequencing is its use in establishing the baseline presence of a virus in a given geographic area.…”