Tomato leaf deformation virus, a novel begomovirus associated with a severe disease of tomato in Peru

Abstract

Begomovirus infection was suspected in tomato plants exhibiting symptoms of curling and deformation of leaves observed in a survey conducted in northern and central Peru. Rolling circle amplification and restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses suggested that a begomovirus was present in symptomatic plants. The full-length sequence of a begomovirus DNA component was determined, comprising 2591 nucleotides. Based on its genome organization, we suggest it corresponds to the DNA-A of a New World begomovirus. Less than 89% nucleotide sequence identity to known begomoviruses was found, indicating that it corresponds to an isolate of a distinct begomovirus species for which the name tomato leaf deformation virus (ToLDeV) is proposed.

Characterization of a New World Monopartite Begomovirus Causing Leaf Curl Disease of Tomato in Ecuador and Peru Reveals a New Direction in Geminivirus Evolution

“…Finally, no DNA-B component was detected in DNA gel blot hybridization analyses of total genomic DNA from the ToLCD samples collected in Peru in 1998, whereas the expected hybridization signal was detected in total genomic DNA from N. benthamiana leaves infected with the bipartite begomovirus BDMV (data not shown). Together, these results indicated that ToLCD in Ecuador and Peru is associated with a single begomovirus genomic DNA, and our results are in agreement with the results of Marquez-Martin et al (26).…”

“…Based upon the known genome structure of NW begomoviruses, it was presumed that ToLDeV would have a bipartite genome (26). The finding that ToLDeV isolates associated with ToLCD in Ecuador and Peru have a single genomic DNA, with no associated DNA-B component or satellite DNAs, confirmed and extended the results of Marquez-Martin et al (26) and indicated an unconventional etiology for the disease. Here, we established that ToLDeV is an indigenous NW monopartite begomovirus and is the causal agent of ToLCD in Ecuador and Peru.…”

“…In the mid-1990s, a leaf curl disease of tomatoes in Peru appeared following outbreaks of B. tabaci (6,26,27). In 2003, a similar disease was described in Ecuador.…”

“…A begomovirus was the suspected causal agent, but it was also noted that the symptoms were unusual with respect to those typically induced by NW begomoviruses, in particular, the absence of mottling, mosaicism, and yellowing. The DNA-A component of a putative new begomovirus species was associated with this disease (26,27), and the name Tomato leaf deformation virus (ToLDeV) was proposed (26). However, Koch's postulates were not fulfilled for ToLCD, nor was a DNA-B component identified.…”

Characterisation and genetic diversity of pepper leafroll virus, a new bipartite begomovirus infecting pepper, bean and tomato in Peru

“…In the last few years, an increasing number of reports of novel begomovirus species, new hosts and geographical distribution of begomoviruses have occurred in Latin America (NavasCastillo et al, 2011). In Peru, isolates of two begomovirus species have been reported, euphorbia mosaic Peru virus (EuMPV) found infecting a sample of the weed Euphorbia heterophylla L. collected in the Machu Picchu region in 2007, for which the complete DNA-A of one isolate is available (Shepherd et al, 2008), and ToLDeV, a monopartite begomovirus found infecting tomato crops throughout the major tomato-growing areas of this country at least since 1998 (Márquez-Martín et al, 2011;Melgarejo et al, 2013;Sánchez-Campos et al, 2013).…”