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Diversity of polerovirus-associated RNAs in the virome of wild carrots

Deborah Schönegger, Bisola Mercy Babalola, Armelle Marais, Chantal Faure, Thierry Candresse. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.13623. Four self-replicating tombusvirus-like associated RNAs (tlaRNAs) were identified in the virome of wild and cultivated carrots including a new one, carrot red leaf virus-associated RNA 2 (CtRLVaRNA-2) and one recently described from South America, arracacha latent virus E-associated RNA (ALVEaRNA). The prevalence, preferential association with wild or cultivated carrots of these four agents were studied in France and Spain. ALVEaRNA and beet western yellows virus-associated RNA (BWYVaRNA) showed a degree of flexibility in the choice of their helper virus.

The self-replicating polerovirus-associated RNAs have recently been classified as tombusvirus-like associated RNAs (tlaRNAs). In the of wild and cultivated carrots, four tlaRNAs were identified: carrot red leaf virus-associated RNA (CtRLVaRNA), beet western yellows virus-associated RNA (BWYVaRNA), and two other tlaRNAs detected for the first time in carrots, arracacha latent virus E-associated RNA (ALVEaRNA) and a new tlaRNA tentatively named carrot red leaf virus-associated RNA 2 (CtRLVaRNA-2). The genetic diversity and prevalence of these various agents were analysed in carrot populations in France and Spain. CtRLVaRNA was the most frequently detected in both wild and cultivated carrot and was genetically more heterogeneous than ALVEaRNA and CtRLVaRNA-2. ALVEaRNA was preferentially associated with cultivated carrots in both France and Spain. CtRLVaRNA-2 was only detected from one French region and was preferentially associated with wild carrots. Analysis of the virome of individual plants showed the association of ALVEaRNA and BWYVaRNA with CtRLV, suggesting a degree of flexibility in their associations with helper viruses.



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