Archives of Virology (2000) 145, 2659-2667

G. Parrella, C. Lanave, G. Marchoux, M.M. Finetti Sialer, A. Di Franco and D. Gallitelli (2000)
Evidence for two distinct subgroups of Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) from France and Italy and their relationships with other AMV strains
Archives of Virology 145 (12), 2659-2667
Abstract: The nucleotide sequence of the putative coat protein open reading frame of seven previously uncharacterized AMV strains from Italy and France was determined and aligned with comparable sequences of other AMV strains (425 L, 425 M, YSMV, S, VRU, 15/64 and Da). The data set of AMV sequences was used to determine phylogenetic relationships by both a stochastic (stationary Markov model) and a deterministic method (maximum-parsimony) of analysis.
The topology of the trees obtained with the two methods was essentially the same showing that all AMV strains clustered in two monophyletic groups. Close clustering of Italian strains in subgroup I and of French strains in subgroup II seems to suggests the effect of geographic distinctiveness of evolutionary dynamics of these AMV strains. This separation did not correlate with differences in host range or symptoms (necrotic or non necrotic) induced in tomato but rather it reflected variations in the amino acid sequence of their CP, which might be related to structural properties of virus particles.
A simple and rapid procedure based on the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) followed by ezymatic digestion (RFLP) was developed to identify and classify AMV isolates into the two subgroups. The method applied to a number of other AMV isolates from Italy and France supported their division in two distinct subgroups. This RT-PCR RFLP method may be useful way to investigate the dynamics of AMV populations in nature.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Giuseppe Parrella

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Alfalfa mosaic virus		France
	Alfalfa mosaic virus		Italy