Ej. Paplomatas et al., MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF A NEW SAP-TRANSMISSIBLE BIPARTITE GENOME GEMINIVIRUS INFECTING TOMATOES IN MEXICO, Phytopathology, 84(10), 1994, pp. 1215-1224
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.