Identification, detection and transmission of a new vitivirus from Mentha.
Mentha x gracilis 'Variegata' is an ornamental clone with a phenotype caused by virus infection. Several clones were ordered from mail-order nurseries in an attempt to identify a virus consistently associated with symptoms. One of these clones did not exhibit typical 'Variegata' symptoms, and steps were taken to identify any agents causing the 'off-type' symptoms. One of the viruses identified in the atypical 'Variegata' clone is a previously unknown virus, a member of the family Flexiviridae. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis indicate that the virus, designated as mint virus-2, is related to members of the species Grapevine virus A, Grapevine virus B and Heracleum latent virus, placing it in the genus Vitivirus. A detection protocol for the virus has been developed, and the mint aphid (Ovatus crataegarius) was able to transmit the virus in the presence of a helper virus but not from single infected plants.
Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97330, USA. yannis@orst.edu
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Tzanetakis
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Postman
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Martin
D000818:Animals; D001042:Aphids / Q000821:virology; D017931:DNA Primers; D052677:Flexiviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D027541:Mentha / Q000469:parasitology / Q000821:virology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D017931:DNA Primers