Molecular identification of a new begomovirus associated with yellow mosaic disease of Jatropha gossypifolia in India

Yellow mosaic disease was observed on Jatropha gossypifolia plants growing in Kathaupahadi, Madhya Pradesh, India, and whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci) were found in the vicinity. Association of a new begomovirus with yellow mosaic disease of J. gossypifolia has been detected by PCR using begomovirus DNA-A-specific primers. The complete DNA-A genome (~2.7 kb) of this virus isolate was amplified by rolling-circle amplification (RCA) followed by digestion with Bam HI. The ~2.7-kb amplicons was cloned and sequenced, and the data obtained were submitted to GenBank under accession numbers FJ177030. The genome of the virus isolate consisted of six open reading frames (ORFs): V2 (pre-coat protein) and V1 (coat protein) in the virion sense and C3 (REn protein), C2 (TrAP protein), C1 (replication-associated protein) and C4 (C4 protein) in the complementary sense. BLASTn analysis of the nucleotide sequence (2757 nt) of the viral genome (FJ177030) showed 84–85% identity and a distinct phylogenetic relationship with DNA-A of tomato leaf curl virus-Bangalore II (U38239) and tomato leaf curl Karnataka virus (AY754812). Based on its 85% sequence identity to all other begomoviruses known to date and ICTV species demarcating criteria (< 88% identity), the name Jatropha yellow mosaic India virus (JYMIV) is proposed. JYMIV is considered to be monopartite, as neither DNA-B nor DNA-β components associated with begomoviruses were detected.