Frequent occurrence of recombinants in mixed infections of tomato yellow leaf curl disease-associated begomoviruses.
Begomoviruses are plant DNA viruses for which recombination plays a key role in driving evolution. However, little is known about how frequently begomovirus recombinants arise in mixed infected plants. To tackle this issue, co-infections of tomato with monopartite begomoviruses associated with the tomato yellow leaf curl disease, Tomato yellow leaf curl Sardinia virus and Tomato yellow leaf curl virus, have been studied as a model system. The frequency of recombinant genotypes in the progeny populations was evaluated at several times post inoculation. Recombinants constituted a significant proportion of the viral population. Interestingly, not all regions of the genome contributed equally to genetic exchange. In addition to the intergenic region, a known hot spot for recombination, a second hot spot region was found. Implication of secondary structure sequence features in cross-over sites is suggested, which might favor discontinuous DNA replication with the replication complex switching between homologous regions of DNA templates.
García-Andrés
Susana
S
Estación Experimental La Mayora, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 29750 Algarrobo-Costa, Málaga, Spain.
Tomás
Diego Miguel
DM
Sánchez-Campos
Sonia
S
Navas-Castillo
Jesús
J
Moriones
Enrique
E
D053839:Begomovirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000821:virology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000821:virology; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
D004279:DNA, Viral