Gug-Seoun Choi

2007?2011 Characteristics of Plant Virus Infections on Crop Samples Submitted from Agricultural Places

National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, Horticultural and Herbal Environmental Division,Suwon 441-707, Korea(Received on September 11, 2012; Revised on October 11, 2012; Accepted on October 12, 2012)The total number of requests and associated specimens for the diagnosis of virus infection were 573 and 2,992,respectively, on crops from agricultural places of farmers, Agricultural extension services and so forth for 5years from 2007. The total number of virus tests was 13,325. The number of species of viruses infected on thesubmitted crops was 21 in 2007, 15 in 2008, 23 in 2009, 21 in 2010 and 17 in 2011. The newly recorded viruseswere Tobacco leaf curl virus (TbLCV) in 2007, Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) in 2008, Impatiencenecrotic spot virus (INSV) and Radish mosaic virus (RaMV) in 2009, and Beet western yellows virus (BWYV) in2010. Forty virus species including Alfalfa mosaic virus were detected over 5 years. The ten most frequentlydetected virus species were Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), Tomato leaf curlvirus (TYLCV), Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV), Broad bean wilt virus 2 (BBWV2), Zucchiniyellow mosaic virus (ZYMV), Melon necrotic spot virus (MNSV), Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV),Watermelon mosaic virus (WMV) and Pepper mottle virus (PepMoV). The types of crops submitted fromagricultural places were 51 in total and the ten most frequently submitted crops were red pepper, tomato,paprika, watermelon, melon, rice, cucumber, corn, radish and gourd. The total request rate for the top 10crops and top 20 crops was 81.6% and 94.2%, respectively. Eight pepper infecting virus species includedCMV, and the average infection rate was 24.6% for CMV, 18.9% for PMMoV and 14.7% for TSWV. Sevenkinds of double infection were detected in pepper including BBWV2+CMV at 14.7% on average, and fourtypes of triple infection including BBWV2+CMV+PepMoV at 0.9% on average. Six virus species detected ontomato including TYLCV, and the average infection rate was 50.6% for TYLCV, 14.5% for TSWV and10.9% for Tobacco leaf curl virus (TbLCV). The mixed infection of CMV+TSWV on tomato was 3.9% onaverage and of Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV)+TYLCV was 0.4% on average. Five viruses detected onwatermelon included MNSV and the average infection rate was 37.0% for MNSV, 20.4% for CGMMV,18.1% for ZYMV and 17.8% for WMV. The mixed infection rate on watermelon was CMV+MNSV andWMV+ZYMV having an average infection rate of 0.7% and 5.0%, respectively. The average infection rateson melon were 77.6% for MNSV, 5.6% for CMV and 3.3% for WMV. Mixed infections of CMV+MNSVoccurred on melon with an average infection rate of 13.5%. Keywords : BBWV2, BWVY, CGMMV, CMV, MNSV, Plant virus, TYLCV, ZYMV

Construction of Infectious cDNA Clone of a Chrysanthemum stunt viroid Korean Isolate

Chrysanthemum stunt viroid (CSVd), a noncoding infectious RNA molecule, causes seriously economic losses of chrysanthemum for 3 or 4 years after its first infection. Monomeric cDNA clones of CSVd isolate SK1 (CSVd-SK1) were constructed in the plasmids pGEM-T easy vector and pUC19 vector. Linear positive-sense transcripts synthesized in vitro from the full-length monomeric cDNA clones of CSVd-SK1 could infect systemically tomato seedlings and chrysanthemum plants, suggesting that the linear CSVd RNA transcribed from the cDNA clones could be replicated as efficiently as circular CSVd in host species. However, direct inoculation of plasmid cDNA clones containing full-length monomeric cDNA of CSVd-SK1 failed to infect tomato and chrysanthemum and linear negative-sense transcripts from the plasmid DNAs were not infectious in the two plant species. The cDNA sequences of progeny viroid in systemically infected tomato and chrysanthemum showed a few substitutions at a specific nucleotide position, but there were no deletions and insertions in the sequences of the CSVd progeny from tomato and chrysanthemum plants.

First Report of Tomato spotted wilt virus in Brugmansia suaveolens in Korea

Brugmansia suaveolens, also known as angels trumpet, is a semi-woody shrub or a small tree. Because flowers of B. suaveolens are remarkably beautiful and sweetly fragrant, B. suaveolens is grown as ornamentals outdoors year-round in the tropics and subtropics, and as potted plants in temperate regions (1). In February 2013, virus-like symptoms including mosaic symptoms followed by distortion of leaves were observed in a potted B. suaveolens in a nursery in Chung-Nam Province, Korea. Symptomatic leaves were analyzed for the presence of several ornamental viruses including Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), Tomato bush stunt virus (TBSV), and Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) by immune-strip diagnostic kits that were developed by our laboratory. Positive controls and extract from healthy leaves of B. suaveolens as a negative control were included in each immune-strip assay. TSWV was detected serologically from the naturally infected B. suaveolens, but CMV, TBSV, and TMV were not detected from the B. suaveolens. The presence of TSWV (named TSWV-AT1) was confirmed by commercially available double-antibody sandwich (DAS)-ELISA kits (Agdia, Elkhart, IN). TSWV-AT1 was mechanically transmitted from the ELISA-positive B. suaveolens to Capsicum annuum and Nicotiana glutinosa, respectively. Inoculated C. annuum showed chlorotic rings in the inoculated leaves and inoculated N. glutinosa produced mosaic and systemic necrosis in the inoculated leaves after 7 days inoculation, respectively, which were consistent with symptoms caused by TSWV (2). To confirm further TSWV-AT1 infection, reverse transcription (RT)-PCR was performed using the One-Step RT-PCR (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA) with TSWV-specific primers, TSWV-NCP-For and TSWV-NCP-Rev (3), designed to amplify a 777-bp cDNA of the nucleocapsid protein (NCP) gene. Total RNAs from naturally infected B. suaveolens, symptomatic C. annuum, and N. glutinosa were extracted using RNeasy Plant Mini Kit (Qiagen, Valencia, CA). Total RNAs obtained from a Korean isolate of TSWV (Accession No. JF730744) and healthy B. suaveolens were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. The expected size of the RT-PCR product was amplified from symptomatic B. suaveolens, C. annuum, and N. glutinosa but not from healthy leaves of B. suaveolens. The amplified RT-PCR product from TSWV-AT1 was directly sequenced using BigDye Termination kit (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA). Multiple alignment of the TSWV-AT1 NCP sequence (AB910533) with NCP sequences of other TSWV isolates using MEGA5 software (4) revealed 99.0% aa identity with an Korean TSWV isolate (AEB33895) originating from tomato. These results provide additional confirmation of TSWV-AT1 infection. It is known that high-value ornamentals may act also as reservoirs for TSWV that can infect other ornamentals and cultivated crops, because TSWV has a very broad host range (2). Elaborate inspections for TSWV and other viruses are necessary for production of healthy B. suaveolens, since the popularity and economic importance of this ornamental plant is increasing. To our knowledge, this is the first report of TSWV in B. suaveolens in Korea. References: (1) Anonymous. OEPP/EPPO Bull. 34:271, 2004. (2) G. Parrella et al. J. Plant Pathol. 85:227, 2003. (3) B.-N. Chung et al. Plant Pathol. J. 28:87, 2012. (4) K. Tamura et al. Mol. Biol. Evol. 28:2731, 2011.

Genetic variability in the coat protein genes of Cymbidium mosaic virus isolates from orchids.

The variability in the nucleotide (nt) and amino acid (aa) sequences of the coat protein (CP) of Cymbidium mosaic virus (CymMV), which naturally infects orchids worldwide, was investigated. The CP genes of 55 CymMV isolates originating from different locations in Korea were amplified using RT-PCR and sequenced. The encoded CP consists of 223 aa. The CP sequences of the Korean isolates were compared with those of previously published CymMV isolates originating from different countries at both nt and aa levels. The Korean isolates shared 74.9–98.3 and 52.7–100% CP homology with CymMV isolates from other countries at the nt and aa levels, respectively. No particular region of variability could be found in either grouping of viruses. In the deduced CymMV CP aa sequence, the C-terminal region was more divergent than the N-terminal. The phylogenetic tree analysis based on nt sequence diversity of CP genes of CymMV isolates supported the hypothesis that CymMV isolates were divided into two subgroups. However, these subgroups were not formed by phylogenetic tree analysis of CP aa sequences. There was no distinct correlation between geographical locations and specific sequence identity, while recombination analysis revealed that there were no intra-specific recombination events among CymMV isolates.

α-Glucosidase inhibition by prenylated and lavandulyl compounds from Sophora flavescens roots and in silico analysis

The enzyme α-glucosidase is a good drug target for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Four minor flavonoids (1-4) from roots of Sophora flavescens showed the inhibitory activity, with IC50 values ranging from 11.0±0.3 to 50.6±1.3μM, toward α-glucosidase. An enzyme kinetics analysis of them revealed that the compounds 1 and 4 were non-competitive, and compounds 2 and 3 were un-competitive inhibitors. For molecular docking, 3-dimensional structure of α-glucosidase was built by homology modeling. As the result, four compounds 1-4 were confirmed to interact into common binding site of α-glucosidase. In addition, all of the four prenylated and lavandulyl compounds (1-4) were abundant in an ethyl acetate fraction separated from a methanol extract, and the potential inhibitor (3) was extracted best using tetrahydrofuran.

A Pathotype of Pepper mild mottle virus Causing Necrotic Spot Symptoms in Paprika Fruit

Black necrotic spots were observed from the fruits of paprika that were cultivating in a vinylhouse. The casual agents of the symptom were identified as several isolates of Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) by responses of indicator plants, electron microscopy, and RT-PCR analysis. Symptoms of the viral disease were mild mottle in the young leaves, necrotic spots on the fruits and the fruit apex of paprika, but the symptoms were not shown on the mature leaves. All of the PMMoV isolates were determined as pathotypes from the biological responses on the chilli pepper lines used for discrimination of tobamovirus pathotypes. Pathogenicity of the PMMoV isolates was also confirmed using mechanical inoculation method to paprika seedlings. The coat protein (CP) genes of the PMMoV isolates were compared at the nucleotide and amino acid levels with the previously published PMMoV isolate. The isolates share 96 to 99% CP nucleotide identity among the isolates. The CP of -pathotype PMMoV-P2 presented Met at position 139, But the CPs of -pathotype PMMoVs from paprika showed Met to Asn substitution at the same position. This is the first report of identification of -pathotype PMMoV isolates from paprika in Korea.

Hop stunt viroid (HSVd) Sequence Variants from Dapple Fruits of Plum (Prunus salicina L.) in Korea

Dapple fruits of plum cv. Oiishiwase (Prunus salicina L.) were occurred at Gyeonggi-do and Gyeongsangbukdo. The symptoms resembled the dapple fruit disease caused by Hop stunt viroid (HSVd). To identify the causal disease agents, RT-PCR was performed with the specific primers of HSVd. RT-PCR analysis showed that HSVd variants (DP1, DP2) were detected from dapple fruits. HSVd detection was also confirmed by the dot blot hybridization using a DIG-probe specific to HSVd. Nucleotide sequences of DP1 and DP2 had the identities of 94-100% with those of other 7 variants of HSVd in Genbank database. DP1 and DP2 were different in two nucleotides of CG and AA at position of 59 and 60, orderly. Based on nucleotide sequences at position of 59 and 60, HSVd variants associated with plum dapple fruits could be divided mainly into three groups as CG, AA and TG.

Occurrence and Symptoms of Tomato spotted wilt virus on Egg Plant, Whole Radish and Sugar Loaf in Korea

Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) was occurred on the three vegetables of egg plant (Solanum melongena), whole radish (Raphanus acanthiformis) and sugar loaf (Cichorium intybus) at Anyang area infested with TSWV. Whole radish was produced the symptoms of necrotic spots on the leaves, and necrosis and malformation on the roots by TSWV. Egg plant was induced the symptoms of typical multiple ring spots on the leaves and necrotic rings on the fruits. Sugar loaf was infected severely with the typical symptoms of ring spots on the leaves and stunt. The three isolates of TSWV could infect locally on the indicator plants of Chenopodium amaranticolor, C. quinoa and Nicotiana debney, and systemically on N. glutinosa, N. benthamiana and Datura stramonium. Two TSWV isolates from egg plant and sugar loaf were very similar in virulence. However, the virulence of TSWV from whole radish was very different as local infection on 5 Nicotiana species including N. tabacum `Xanthi NC`.

Identification of Leonurus sibiricus as a Weed Reservoir for Three Pepper-Infecting Viruses.

In plant virus ecology, weeds are regarded as wild reservoirs of viruses and as potential sources for insect-mediated transmission of viruses. During field surveys in 2013–2014, three Leonurus sibiricus plants showing virus-like symptoms were collected from pepper fields in Daegu, Seosan, and Danyang in Korea. Molecular diagnosis assays showed that the collected L. sibiricus samples were infected with either Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), or Beet western yellow virus (BWYV), respectively. Since this is the first identification of TSWV, PMMoV, and BWYV from L. sibiricus, complete genome sequences of three virus isolates were determined to examine their phylogenetic relationships with the previously reported strains and isolates. Phylogenetic analyses performed using full genome sequences of the viruses showed the isolates of TSWV and PMMoV obtained from L. sibiricus are closely related to the pepper isolates of the corresponding viruses. Our results suggest that L. sibiricus could act an alternative host and reservoir of viruses that cause damages in pepper fields.

Characteristics of Cucumber mosaic virus-GTN and Resistance Evaluation of Chilli Pepper Cultivars to Two Cucumber mosaic virus Isolates

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) is one of the most destructive viruses in chilli pepper. An isolate of CMV was obtained from the chilli pepper cv. Chungyang showing top necrosis symptom in 2013 and designated as CMV-GTN. CMV-GTN was compared with the well-characterized isolate, CMV-Ca-P1, by investigating their amino acid sequences of the coat protein (CP) and biological reactions in several host plants. The CP of CMV-Ca-P1 composed of 217 amino acids but that of CMV-GTN composed of 218 amino acids by including additional valine in the 57 amino acid position. Amino acid sequence similarity of the CP gene among CMV-GTN and other CMV isolates recorded in the GeneBank database ranged from 96% to 99%. CMV-GTN was selected as a representative isolate to screen the resistance pepper cultivars to CMV because it was highly pathogenic to tomatoes and peppers upon biological assays. The virulence of CMV-GTN was tested on 135 pepper cultivars which has been bred in Korea and compared with that of CMV-Ca-P1. Only the cv. Premium was resistant and three cvs. Hot star, Kaiser, and Good choice were moderately resistant to CMV-GTN, whereas two cvs. Baerotta and Kaiser were resistant to CMV-Ca-P1.