MOLECULAR ANALYSIS OF THE DNA-A OF THE BEGOMOVIRUS TOMATO MOTTLE LEAF CURL VIRUS (ToMoLCV)

Begomoviruses cause economic losses in many crops, mainly in tropical and subtropical regions. Their genome is formed by one or two components and are transmitted by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci to dicotyledonous plants. In Brazil, a viral complex comprised of at least eight species is responsible for severe losses in tomato crops. Tomato and weed samples were collected in tomato-growing regions of the state of Minas Gerais, in southeastern Brazil in 2008 and 2010. Previously described viruses were prevalent in the samples. Two isolates of the partially sequenced Tomato mottle leaf curl virus (ToMoLCV) were associated with tomato plants collected in the city of Jaiba in northern Minas Gerais. Here, we describe the virus’s complete DNA-A sequence and its molecular characterization. Genome analysis indicates that the ToMoLCV is a typical New World bipartite begomovirus with greater sequence identity with begomoviruses from Brazil and Central America. Phylogenetic analysis confirms that ToMoLCV clusters with New World begomoviruses from Brazil and Central America. Like all Brazilian begomoviruses, ToMoLCV has a recombinant nature. Together, these results support the classification of ToMoLCV as a distinct species in the genus Begomovirus. DOI:  http://dx.doi.org/10.17525/vrrjournal.v16i1-2.67