title: 'Candidatus Phytoplasma fragariae', a novel phytoplasma taxon discovered in yellows diseased strawberry, Fragaria x ananassa.
abstract: Symptoms of general stunting and yellowing of leaves were observed in diseased cultivated strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne) in Lithuania. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences amplified by PCR indicated that the symptoms were associated with infection by a phytoplasma, designated strawberry yellows (StrawY) phytoplasma. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that StrawY phytoplasma, 'Candidatus Phytoplasma australiense', 'Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris', stolbur phytoplasma and 'Candidatus Phytoplasma japonicum' shared a common ancestor, but were mutually distinct. Nucleotide sequence alignments of a 1.3 kb 16S rRNA gene sequence fragment revealed that StrawY phytoplasma shared 97.4 % or less similarity with previously described 'Candidatus Phytoplasma' species. These results, in addition to natural host and geographical occurrence, support the recognition of StrawY phytoplasma as a representative of a novel taxon, 'Candidatus Phytoplasma fragariae'.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Phytoviruses, Institute of Botany, Zaliuju ezeru 49, Vilnius LT-08406, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Deividas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Valiunas
authors.forename: Juozas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Staniulis
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D031985:Fragaria / Q000382:microbiology*; D008097:Lithuania; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D045582:Phytoplasma / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S