Viruses, Vol. 13, Pages 481: Olea europaea Geminivirus: A Novel Bipartite Geminivirid Infecting Olive Trees

Viruses, Vol. 13, Pages 481: Olea europaea Geminivirus: A Novel Bipartite Geminivirid Infecting Olive Trees Viruses doi: 10.3390/v13030481 Authors: Michela Chiumenti Claudia Greco Angelo De Stradis Giuliana Loconsole Vincenzo Cavalieri Giuseppe Altamura Stefania Zicca Pasquale Saldarelli Maria Saponari In 2014, high-throughput sequencing of libraries of total DNA from olive trees allowed the identification of two geminivirus-like contigs. After conventional resequencing of the two genomic DNAs, their analysis revealed they belonged to the same viral entity, for which the provisional name of Olea europaea geminivirus (OEGV) was proposed. Although DNA-A showed a genome organization similar to that of New World begomoviruses, DNA-B had a peculiar ORF arrangement, consisting of a movement protein (MP) in the virion sense and a protein with unknown function on the complementary sense. Phylogenetic analysis performed either on full-length genome or on coat protein, replication associated protein (Rep), and MP sequences did not endorse the inclusion of this virus in any of the established genera in the family Geminiviridae. A survey of 55 plants revealed that the virus is widespread in Apulia (Italy) with 91% of the samples testing positive, although no correlation of OEGV with a disease or specific symptoms was encountered. Southern blot assay suggested that the virus is not integrated in the olive genome. The study of OEGV-derived siRNA obtained from small ...
Source: Viruses - Category: Virology Authors: Tags: Article Source Type: research