Journal of Phytopathology (2005) 153, 129-136

E.-D. Ammar, R.G. Gomez-Luengo, D.T. Gordon and S.A. Hogenhout (2005)
Characterization of Maize Iranian mosaic virus and comparison with Hawaiian and other isolates of Maize mosaic virus (Rhabdoviridae)
Journal of Phytopathology 153 (3), 129-136
Abstract: Maize Iranian mosaic virus (MIMV) was characterized and compared with isolates of Maize mosaic virus (MMV, genus Nucleorhabdovirus, family Rhabdoviridae) in insect transmission, cytopathology and ultrastructure of infected maize cells, virion proteins and serologically. MIMV is naturally transmitted by Ribautodelphax notabilis, a delphacid planthopper, in Iran. In this study, another planthopper, Peregrinus maidis, vector of MMV, transmitted MIMV with an estimated efficiency of 0.4-1.6% following feeding on MIMV-infected maize plants and 64% following injection of MIMV into the hemolymph, suggesting that P. maidis gut tissues largely blocked MIMV transmission. MIMV and MMV-HI (Hawaii) induced similar cytopathologies in cells of infected maize leaves, with virions budding through inner nuclear and endoplasmic reticulum membranes. In thin sections, virions of MIMV were significantly shorter than those of MMV-HI. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of virions of MIMV, MMV-HI, MMV-CR (Costa Rica) and MMV-FL (Florida) yielded six proteins of which four were identified as the putative G, N, P and M proteins of plant rhabdoviruses. The N, P and M proteins of MIMV migrated faster in gels than those of the MMV isolates indicating a lower molecular weight, whereas the bands corresponding to the G proteins migrated similarly for both viruses. Polyclonal antibodies to MMV-HI failed to react with virions of MIMV in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and with MIMV proteins in Western blots. In contrast, these antibodies reacted strongly with MMV-HI and MMV-FL virions in ELISA and with MMV-HI, MMV-CR and MMV-FL proteins in Western blots. Further, in ELISA, polyclonal antibodies to MMV-MR (Mauritius) reacted weakly with MIMV virions but strongly with MMV-HI and MMV-FL virions. Thus, it is concluded that MIMV is a new virus of the Nucleorhabdovirus genus that may be distantly related to MMV.
(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): Saskia A. Hogenhout

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Peregrinus maidis	Maize/corn (Zea mays)
	Alphanucleorhabdovirus zeairanense	Maize/corn (Zea mays)	Iran
	Alphanucleorhabdovirus maydis	Maize/corn (Zea mays)
	Ribautodelphax notabilis	Maize/corn (Zea mays)	Iran