title: Description of 'Candidatus Phytoplasma meliae', a phytoplasma associated with Chinaberry (Melia azedarach L.) yellowing in South America.
abstract: China tree yellows (ChTY) phytoplasma is associated with the yellowing disease of the China tree (Melia azedarach) in Argentina. According to partial 16S rRNA gene analysis, ChTY phytoplasma belongs to the 16Sr XIII group, subgroup G. Strains of species of ChTY have 98-99 % 16S rDNA gene sequence similarity with 16SrXIII-group phytoplasmas, and less than 97.5 % when compared to all 'CandidatusPhytoplasma' described so far, except for the novel 'CandidatusPhytoplasma hispanicum'. However, strains of species of ChTY are differentiated from the latter due to having additional molecular and biological attributes. The presence of unique features in the 16S rDNA sequence distinguishes ChTY from all species of 'CandidatusPhytoplasma' currently described. The in silico RFLP profile of 16S rDNA (1.2 kb) and rpLV-rpsC (1.3 kb) genes distinguished ChTY, as in the 16SrXIII-G subgroup within the 16SrXIIII group. The phylogenetic analyses, based on 16S rDNA, rpLV-rpsC and secA gene sequences, in addition to the restricted host range, characteristic symptoms and geographical distribution, confirm that the collective strains of the species ChTY represent a distinct lineage within the phytoplasma clade and support the description of a novel species of 'CandidatusPhytoplasma meliae' with the reference strain being ChTY-Mo3 (Montecarlo, Argentina).
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Patología Vegetal (IPAVE), CIAP-INTA, Camino 60 cuadras km 5 ½ (X5020ICA), Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: Franco Daniel
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste, (CONICET-UNNE), Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Sargento Cabral 2131 (3400), Corrientes, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ernestina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Galdeano
authors.affiliation: Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Montecarlo-INTA, Av. El Libertador 2472 (3384), Montecarlo, Argentina.
authors.forename: Marcela Victoria
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Kornowski
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola (IMyZA), INTA, Nicolas Repetto y de los Reseros s/n (1686), Hurlingham, Argentina.
authors.forename: Joel Demián
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Arneodo
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Patología Vegetal (IPAVE), CIAP-INTA, Camino 60 cuadras km 5 ½ (X5020ICA), Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: Luis Rogelio
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Conci
mesh_terms: D001118:Argentina; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D001482:Base Composition; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D031586:Melia azedarach / Q000382:microbiology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D045582:Phytoplasma / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005227:Fatty Acids; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S