Bactericera cockerelli Picorna-like Virus and Three New Viruses Found Circulating in Populations of Potato/Tomato Psyllids (<i>Bactericera cockerelli</i>)

An investigation of viruses circulating in populations of field and laboratory potato/tomato psyllids (<i>Bactericera cockerelli</i>) was conducted using high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technology and conventional RT-PCR. Three new viruses were discovered: one from the family <i>T...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jennifer Dahan, Gardenia E. Orellana, Kaleigh B. Wald, Erik J. Wenninger, W. Rodney Cooper, Alexander V. Karasev
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-03-01
Series:Viruses
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/16/3/415
Description
Summary:An investigation of viruses circulating in populations of field and laboratory potato/tomato psyllids (<i>Bactericera cockerelli</i>) was conducted using high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technology and conventional RT-PCR. Three new viruses were discovered: one from the family <i>Tymoviridae</i> and two from the family <i>Solemoviridae</i>. A tymo-like virus sequence represented a nearly complete 6843 nt genome of a virus named Bactericera cockerelli tymo-like virus (BcTLV) that spanned five open reading frames (ORFs) which encoded RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP), helicase, protease, methyltransferase, and a capsid protein. Phylogenetic analyses placed the RdRP of BcTLV inside a divergent lineage of the viruses from the family <i>Tymoviridae</i> found in insect and plant hosts in a sister clade to the genera <i>Tymovirus</i>, <i>Marafivirus</i>, and <i>Maculavirus</i>. Four solemo-like virus sequences were identified in the HTS outputs, representing two new viruses. One virus found only in field-collected psyllids and named Bactericera cockerelli solemo-like virus 1 (BcSLV-1) had a 5479 nt genome which spanned four ORFs encoding protease and RdRP. Three solemo-like sequences displayed 87.4–99.7% nucleotide sequence identity among themselves, representing variants or strains of the same virus named Bactericera cockerelli solemo-like virus 2 (BcSLV-2). The genome of BcSLV-2 spanned only two ORFs that encoded a protease and an RdRP. Phylogenetic analysis placed the RdRPs of BcSLV-1 and BcSLV-2 in two separate lineages as sister clades to viruses from the genus <i>Sobemovirus</i> found in plant hosts. All three new psyllid viruses were found circulating in psyllids collected from potato fields in southern Idaho along with a previously identified Bactericera cockerelli picorna-like virus. Any possible role of the three viruses in controlling populations of the field psyllids remains to be elucidated.
ISSN:1999-4915