MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF A NEW SAP-TRANSMISSIBLE BIPARTITE GENOME GEMINIVIRUS INFECTING TOMATOES IN MEXICO

A bipartite genome geminivirus infecting tomatoes in northwestern Mexi co was sap transmitted to tomato, Nicotiana benthamiana, and common be an and induced leaf crumpling, epinasty, and mottling. Geminivirus DNA -A and DNA-B components were each cloned from infected N. benthamiana and bean leaves. The N. benthamiana DNAA and DNA-B components were inf ectious but induced only mild symptoms in N. benthamiana plants. The r eduction in symptom severity was not the result of impaired replicatio n of either component but was associated with the DNA-B component. In contrast, the bean DNA-A and DNA-B components were highly infectious a nd induced disease symptoms in N. benthamiana, bean, and tomato plants indistinguishable from those induced by the sap-transmissible geminiv irus. Molecular characterization of the N. benthamiana and bean DNA co mponents indicated that the DNA-A components were identical, whereas t he DNA-B components were different but closely related. The original t omato sample was shown to be infected with both DNA-B components by po lymerase chain reaction analysis. The bean DNA-A and DNA-B components comprise the genome of a new sap-transmissible bipartite genome gemini virus. This geminivirus is different from previously characterized gem iniviruses, and the name tomato leaf crumple (TLCrV) is proposed. TLCr V is a member of the Abutilon mosaic cluster of Western Hemisphere bip artite genome geminiviruses and is most closely related to tomato mott le, Abutilon mosaic, and bean dwarf mosaic geminiviruses.