The complete nucleotide sequence and genomic organization of Citrus Leprosis associated Virus, Cytoplasmatic type (CiLV-C)

• Published in: Virus genes 2006-06, Vol.32 (3), p.289-298
• Main Authors: Pascon, Renata C, Kitajima, João Paulo, Breton, Michèle C, Assumpção, Laura, Greggio, Christian, Zanca, Almir S, Okura, Vagner Katsumi, Alegria, Marcos C, Camargo, Maria E, Silva, Giovana G C, Cardozo, Jussara C, Vallim, Marcelo A, Franco, Sulamita F, Silva, Vitor H, Jordão, Jr, Hamilton, Oliveira, Fernanda, Giachetto, Poliana F, Ferrari, Fernanda, Aguilar-Vildoso, Carlos I, Franchiscini, Fabrício J B, Silva, José M F, Arruda, Paulo, Ferro, Jesus A, Reinach, Fernando, da Silva, Ana Cláudia Rasera
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acari; Base Sequence; Citrus; Citrus sinensis - virology; Genome, Viral; Molecular Sequence Data; Phylogeny; Plant Diseases - virology; Plant Leaves - virology; Plant Viruses - classification; Plant Viruses - genetics; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA Viruses - classification; RNA Viruses - genetics; RNA, Viral - analysis; RNA, Viral - isolation & purification; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Tenuipalpidae; Tobamovirus
• ISSN: 0920-8569; 1572-994X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11262-005-6913-1

The Citrus leprosis disease (CiL) is associated to a virus (CiLV) transmitted by Brevipalpus spp. mites (Acari: Tenuipalpidae). CiL is endemic in Brazil and its recently spreading to Central America represents a threat to citrus industry in the USA. Electron microscopy images show two forms of CiLV: a rare nuclear form, characterized by rod-shaped naked particle (CiLV-N) and a common cytoplasmic form (CiLV-C) associated with bacilliform-enveloped particle and cytoplasmic viroplasm. Due to this morphological feature, CiLV-C has been treated as Rhabdovirus-like. In this paper we present the complete nucleotide sequence and genomic organization of CiLV-C. It is a bipartite virus with sequence similarity to ssRNA positive plant virus. RNA1 encodes a putative replicase polyprotein and an ORF with no known function. RNA2 encodes 4 ORFs. pl5, p24 and p61 have no significant similarity to any known proteins and p32 encodes a protein with similarity to a viral movement protein. The CiLV-C sequences are associated with typical symptoms of CiL by RT-PCR. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that CiLV-C is probably a member of a new family of plant virus evolutionarily related to Tobamovirus.