International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology (2018) 68, 170-175

Akio Miyazaki, Toshiro Shigaki, Hiroaki Koinuma, Nozomu Iwabuchi, Gou Bue Rauka, Alfred Kembu, Josephine Saul, Kiyoto Watanabe, Takamichi Nijo, Kensaku Maejima, Yasuyuki Yamaji and Shigetou Namba (2018)
' Candidatus Phytoplasma noviguineense', a novel taxon associated with Bogia coconut syndrome and banana wilt disease on the island of New Guinea
International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 68 (1), 170-175
Abstract: Bogia coconut syndrome (BCS) is one of the lethal yellowing (LY)-type diseases associated with phytoplasma presence that are seriously threatening coconut cultivation worldwide. It has recently emerged, and is rapidly spreading in northern parts of the island of New Guinea. BCS-associated phytoplasmas collected in different regions were compared in terms of 16S rRNA gene sequences, revealing high identity among them represented by strain BCS-BoR. Comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that BCS-BoR shared less than a 97.5% similarity with other species of ' Candidatus Phytoplasma', with a maximum value of 96.08% (with strain LY; GenBank accession no. U18747). This result indicates the necessity and propriety of a novel taxon for BCS phytoplasmas according to the recommendations of the IRPCM. Phylogenetic analysis was also conducted on 16S rRNA gene sequences, resulting in a monophyletic cluster composed of BCS-BoR and other LY-associated phytoplasmas. Other phytoplasmas on the island of New Guinea associated with banana wilt and arecanut yellow leaf diseases showed high similarities to BCS-BoR and were closely related to BCS phytoplasmas. Based on the uniqueness of their 16S rRNA gene sequences, a novel taxon ' Ca. Phytoplasma noviguineense' is proposed for these phytoplasmas found on the island of New Guinea, with strain BCS-BoR (GenBank accession no. LC228755) as the reference strain. The novel taxon is described in detail, including information on the symptoms of associated diseases and additional genetic features of the secY gene and rp operon.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Shigetou Namba

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
identification/taxonomy
molecular biology - genes

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Phytoplasma noviguineense	Banana/plantain (Musa)	Papua New Guinea
	Phytoplasma noviguineense	Coconut (Cocos nucifera)	Papua New Guinea