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New and emerging virus species are becoming an increasing threat to our way of life economically and physically. Plant viruses are particularly significant as they affect our food supply and are capable of rapidly spreading to new plant species. Geminiviruses are a group of viruses that highlight this phenomenon well. Indeed Geminiviruses are some of the earliest recorded plant viruses being described as far back as 752 AD in a Japanese poem written to describe geminivirus symptoms in eupatorium leaves (Saunders et al.,2003). More recently, and in a more threatening manner, Geminiviruses have adapted to infect key crop species such as maize, sugarcane, tomatoes, beet and many more. An example of this is the introduction of grasses such as Maize into Africa, which allowed a species jump for mastreviruses, which were endemic in native grasses (Varsani et al.,2008a). Over a relatively short period of evolutionary time a number of new Geminiviruses have emerged, making them a good model for understanding the evolution and spread of new plant pathogens. The economic importance of Geminiviruses also makes an understanding of their mechanisms of adaptation crucial in preventing new emergence and minimising the impact of current strains.

Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) is the vector of cassava mosaic geminiviruses (CMGs), which are the main production constraint to cassava, both in Uganda and elsewhere in Africa. A severe form of cassava mosaic disease (CMD) was responsible for the devastation of cassava in Uganda beginning in the late 1980s. In subsequent years the severe CMD epidemic spread throughout Uganda, and to neighbouring countries, causing devastating effects to cassava production, and its geographical range continues to expand with the pandemic. To further understand the virus-vector dynamics involved in the spread of CMD in the post epidemic zone in Uganda, we investigated the current distribution of B. tabaci genotypes in selected cassava-growing regions. Additionally, the relationship between the vector genotypes and distribution of CMGs in the post-epidemic zone was examined also. CMD-affected cassava leaves were collected from 3 to 5 month-old cassava plants, and B. tabaci adults and fourth instar nymphs were collected from cassava and twenty-two other plant species occurring adjacent to the sampled cassava fields. The mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) sequence was used to establish the genotype of B. tabaci adults and nymphs associated with the sampled plant species. African cassava mosaic virus (ACMV) and East African cassava mosaic virus-Uganda 2 (EACMV-UG2) were confirmed to be present in the post-epidemic zone in Uganda, as reported previously. As expected, EACMV-UG2 predominated. However, unlike previous observations in which EACMV-UG2 was consistently associated with the severe disease phenotype, in this study EACMV-UG2 occurred almost equally in the severely and mildly diseased plants. Phylogenetic analyses of Ugandan B. tabaci genotypes (mtCOI) revealed that their closest relatives were other Old World genotypes, as might be expected. Two previously reported B. tabaci genotype clusters, Uganda 1 (Ug1) and Uganda 2 (Ug2), at ~8% nt divergence, were confirmed to occur on cassava in the post-epidemic zone. However, Ug1 occurred more frequently (83%) than Ug2 (17%), and no definite association was established of a particular vector genotype with cassava plants exhibiting the severe disease phenotype, in contrast to the B. tabaci genotype distribution and association with the CMGs reported there at the height of the spread of the severe CMD epidemic. Based on the presence of B. tabaci fourth instar nymphs, the Ug1 genotypes colonized five additional non-cassava plant species: Manihot glaziovii, Jatropha gossypifolia, Euphorbia heterophylla, Aspilia africana and Abelmoschus esculentus, suggesting that in Uganda the Ug1 genotypes are not restricted to cassava. However, no Ug2 genotypes were detected on the non-cassava plant species sampled. This study revealed also the presence in Uganda of five distinct previously unrecorded B. tabaci genotype clusters, Uganda 3 (Ug3), Uganda 4 (Ug4), Uganda 5 (Ug5), Uganda 6 (Ug6) and Uganda 7 (Ug7), and a sweetpotato colonizing genotype cluster, designated Uganda 8 (Ug8), among the collective Ugandan B. tabaci populations. Ug3 was the only exemplar representing one cluster, which was unlike any previously described genotype in Uganda or elsewhere, and diverged at 8%, 10% and 17% from Ug1, Ug2 and Ug8, respectively. The Ug3 genotypes colonized a single species, Ocimum gratissimum. Ug4, Ug5, Ug6 and Ug7 formed four closely related sub-clusters (93-97% nt identity), and diverged from one another by 1-7%, and by 15-18% from Ug1, Ug2, Ug3 and Ug8, respectively. The Ug4 genotypes had as their closest relatives (at 97-99% nt identity) previously reported B. tabaci from okra in the Ivory Coast, whereas, the Ug5 and Ug6 genotypes shared 95-99% and 99% nt identity, respectively, with their closest relatives from the Mediterranean-North Africa- Middle East (MED-NAFR-ME) region, which also includes the well studied B and Q biotypes. The Ug7 genotypes were closely related (at 98-99% nt identity) to B. tabaci from Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean. The Ug4, Ug5, Ug6 and Ug7 genotypes were identified on 54%, 8%, 8%, and 31% of the sampled plants species, respectively. Ug4 were most polyphagous, followed by Ug7 and Ug6. However, none of the new five genotypes (Ug3-Ug7) was found associated with, or colonizing, xx cassava or sweetpotato plants in this study. Squash plants colonized by the Ug6 and Ug7 genotypes, both members of the B biotype/B-like cluster, developed the silvering phenotype, while those colonized by the Ug4 genotypes (most closely related to a non-B like genotype from okra in the Ivory Coast) did not. In addition to colonizing sweetpotato, the Ug8 genotypes also colonized Lycopersicon esculentum and L nepetifolia.

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Student Number : 0413249D - MSc research report - Faculty of Science / Cassava is one of the most important staple crops in the world and is consumed by over 700 million people around the globe and is a profitable product commercially due to the high starch content of its tubers. One of the future aims is to produce cassava that is high yielding, resistant to cassava mosaic geminiviruses (CMGs) and high in starch content. To be able to achieve commercially attractive cassava varieties, research need to be carried out to investigate the virus resistance status of different cassava cultivars, which can later be used in the future breeding programme. In South Africa, cassava is used for commercial starch manufacturing purposes, as a cash crop and a food source by small-scale farmers. Cassava Mosaic Disease (CMD) is having a negative impact on yield of the crop globally and therefore dropping profitability of cassava on a commercial scale. The aims of this research were to propagate thirteen cassava cultivars and then to test them for virus susceptibility or resistance. Eleven cassava cultivars received from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) were tested for resistance or susceptibility against South African cassava mosaic virus (SACMV). Two local, commercial cultivars T200 and T400, were tested for East African cassava mosaic virus (EACMV) and African cassava mosaic virus (ACMV) resistance. Cassava cultivars were successfully propagated in vitro and thereafter transferred into soil and acclimatized to adapt to environmental conditions. When the plantlets were three weeks old, the plantlets were infected with cassava mosaic viruses. Plants were infected with SACMV via Agrobacterium-mediated transfer and infectious EACMV and ACMV monomers were used to biolistically bombard the plantlets. Resistance/susceptibility results of seven of the thirteen cultivars were obtained with SACMV, these cultivars being T200 (susceptible), T400 (susceptible), TME3 (highly resistant), I30572 (susceptible), I420251 (highly susceptible), I60506 (susceptible) and TMS60444 (susceptible). Due to destruction by fungal gnats eating the roots of the plants, acclimatization of the remaining six cultivars was not possible. Also, due to the nature of the biolistic equipment, infection of the cultivars with EACMV and ACMV was not achieved as the plantlets were not robust enough to survive the pressure.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, 2004. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:37:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 2474594 bytes, checksum: 6cdab11f886d77e7d0c8a3d024dde318 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-07-30 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / The genus Begomovirus (family Geminiviridae) includes viruses with a genome comprised of one or two molecules of circular, single-stranded DNA, transmitted to dicot species by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci. In Brazil, after the introduction of the B biotype of B. tabaci in the early 1990s, the incidence of begomoviruses in tomato has become frequent, with several reports of new viral species. Some of these species have become prevalent under field conditions, including Tomato severe rugose virus (ToSRV) and Tomato yellow vein streak virus (ToYVSV). The purpose of this study was to characterize two isolates of these species through the cloning of their whole genomes followed by molecular analysis, and the production of infectious clones for determination of their host ranges. Total DNA extracts of infected plants were used for whole genome amplification using the phi29 phage DNA polymerase. The amplification products were cloned into plasmids and completely sequenced. Sequence analysis indicated that the DNA-A and DNA-B of ToSRV-[BR:Pir1:05] and ToYVSV- [BR:Pda30:05] isolates had greater than 90% identities with other isolates of ToSRV and ToYVSV, respectively. The molecular analysis indicated that the DNA-A of the BR:Pir1:05 isolate may be the result of a recombination event, in which the virus acquired the rep ORF of Tomato rugose mosaic virus (ToRMV) and the cp ORF of an unidentified virus. Analysis of the DNA-B of the same isolate indicated the existence of a relationship with viruses that infect weed/wild hosts in Brazil, corroborating the hypothesis that viruses present in wild hosts led to the virus currently found in tomatoes. Additionally, because of the high identity observed between the DNA-B of ToSRV-[BR:Pir1:05] and ToRMV, it is possible that this genomic component is shared by the two viruses. In host range assays, plants showing latent infections were observed for both isolates. Such plants can act as natural reservoirs and serve as a primary source of inoculum for host plants of economic importance such as the tomato. The infectious clones of ToYVSV- [BR:Pda30:05] had low infectivity in the host range assays. It is possible that the inoculation method was not effective in the transmission of this isolate, or one or both clones could contain mutations that reduce the efficiency of their replication. / O gênero Begomovirus (família Geminiviridae) inclui vírus com genoma composto por uma ou duas moléculas de DNA fita simples, transmitidos a espécies de plantas dicotiledôneas pela mosca-branca Bemisia tabaci. No Brasil, após a introdução do biótipo B de B. tabaci no início da década de 1990, a incidência de begomovírus em tomateiro tornou-se freqüente, com vários relatos de novas espécies virais. Algumas dessas espécies tornaram-se prevalentes em condições de campo no Brasil, incluindo o Tomato severe rugose virus (ToSRV) e o Tomato yellow vein streak virus (ToYVSV). O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar dois isolados dessas espécies, por meio da clonagem de seus genomas completos seguida de análise molecular, e da obtenção de clones infecciosos para determinação de suas gamas de hospedeiros. Extratos de DNA total de plantas infectadas foram utilizados para a amplificação do genoma viral completo utilizando-se a DNA polimerase do fago φ29. Os produtos da amplificação foram clonados em plasmídeos e completamente seqüenciados. A análise das seqüências do DNA-A e DNA-B dos isolados ToSRV- [BR:Pir1:05] e ToYVSV- [BR:Pda30:05] indicou valores de identidade acima de 90% com outros isolados de ToSRV e ToYVSV, respectivamente. A análise molecular indica que o DNA-A do isolado BR:Pir1:05 pode ser resultado de um evento de recombinação, no qual o vírus adquiriu a ORF rep do Tomato rugose mosaic virus (ToRMV) e a ORF cp de um vírus não identificado. A análise do DNA-B do mesmo isolado indica a existência de relacionamento com vírus que infectam plantas daninhas/silvestres no Brasil, reforçando a hipótese de que vírus presentes em hospedeiros silvestres deram origem aos vírus atualmente encontrados em tomateiro. Adicionalmente, devido à alta identidade observada entre os DNAs-B dos isolados BR:Pir1:05 e do ToRMV, é possível que este componente genômico seja compartilhado pelos dois vírus. Nos testes de gama de hospedeiros, plantas apresentando infecções latentes foram observadas para os dois isolados. Tais plantas podem atuar como reservatórios naturais e servir de fonte de inóculo primário para plantas hospedeiras de importância econômica, como o tomateiro. Os clones infecciosos do isolado BR:Pda30:05 apresentaram baixa infectividade nos testes de gama de hospedeiros. É possível que o método de inoculação não tenha sido eficiente na transmissão deste isolado, ou que os clones apresentem mutações que reduzam a eficiência de sua replicação.