Evolutionary relationship between luteoviruses and other RNA plant viruses based on sequence motifs in their putative RNA polymerases and nucleic acid helicases (original) (raw)

Long-Term Evolution of the Luteoviridae: Time Scale and Mode of Virus Speciation

Journal of Virology, 2010

Despite their importance as agents of emerging disease, the time scale and evolutionary processes that shape the appearance of new viral species are largely unknown. To address these issues, we analyzed intra-and interspecific evolutionary processes in the Luteoviridae family of plant RNA viruses. Using the coat protein gene of 12 members of the family, we determined their phylogenetic relationships, rates of nucleotide substitution, times to common ancestry, and patterns of speciation. An associated multigene analysis enabled us to infer the nature of selection pressures and the genomic distribution of recombination events. Although rates of evolutionary change and selection pressures varied among genes and species and were lower in some overlapping gene regions, all fell within the range of those seen in animal RNA viruses. Recombination breakpoints were commonly observed at gene boundaries but less so within genes. Our molecular clock analysis suggested that the origin of the currently circulating Luteoviridae species occurred within the last 4 millennia, with intraspecific genetic diversity arising within the last few hundred years. Speciation within the Luteoviridae may therefore be associated with the expansion of agricultural systems. Finally, our phylogenetic analysis suggested that viral speciation events tended to occur within the same plant host species and country of origin, as expected if speciation is largely sympatric, rather than allopatric, in nature.

The Evolutionary Significance of Generalist Viruses with Special Emphasis on Plant Viruses and their Hosts

The Open Virology Journal, 2020

The host range of a virus is defined as the number of species a virus potentially infects. The specialist virus infects one or few related species while the generalist virus infects several different species, possibly in different families. Origin of generalist viruses from their specialist nature and the expansion of the host range of the generalist virus occur with the host shift event in which the virus encounters and adapts to a new host. Host shift events have resulted in the majority of the newly emerging viral diseases. This review discusses the advantages and disadvantages of generalist over specialist viruses and the unique features of plant viruses and their hosts that result in a higher incidence of generalist viruses in plants.

A reevaluation of the higher taxonomy of viruses based on RNA polymerases

Journal of virology, 1996

In order to assess the validity of classifications of RNA viruses, published alignments and phylogenies of RNA-dependent RNA and DNA polymerase sequences were reevaluated by a Monte Carlo randomization procedure, bootstrap resampling, and phylogenetic signal analysis. Although clear relationships between some viral taxa were identified, overall the sequence similarities and phylogenetic signals were insufficient to support many of the proposed evolutionary groupings of RNA viruses. Likewise, no support for the common ancestry of RNA-dependent RNA polymerases and reverse transcriptases was found.

Phylogeny of capsid proteins of rod-shaped and filamentous RNA plant viruses: two families with distinct patterns of sequence and probably structure conservation

Virology, 1991

Computer-assisted comparative analysis of all available amino acid sequences of the capsid proteins of positive strand RNA plant viruses with helical capsids is described. Two distinct families of homologous proteins were delineated through statistically significant sequence similarities, one including the capsid proteins of rod-shaped viruses (tobamo-, tobra-, hordei-, and furoviruses) and the other those of filamentous viruses (poty-, bymo-, potex-, carla-, and closteroviruses). It was concluded that the capsid proteins of all rod-shaped viruses, on the one hand, and filamentous viruses, on the other hand, evolved from common ancestors. Analysis of residue conservation patterns in the capsid proteins of rod-shaped viruses revealed maintenance of the hydrophobic core and of the (putative) salt bridge between conserved Arg and Asp residues. Sequence comparisons within the filamentous virus family expanded the observations on the relationship between the capsid proteins of potex-, ca...

The Evolutionary Genetics of Emerging Plant RNA Viruses

Over the years, agriculture across the world has been compromised by a succession of devastating epidemics caused by new viruses that spilled over from reservoir species or by new variants of classic viruses that acquired new viru-lence factors or changed their epidemiological patterns. Viral emergence is usually associated with ecological change or with agronomical practices bringing together reservoirs and crop species. The complete picture is, however, much more complex, and results from an evolutionary process in which the main players are ecological factors, viruses' genetic plasticity, and host factors required for virus replica-tion, all mixed with a good measure of stochasticity. The present review puts emergence of plant RNA viruses into the framework of evolutionary genetics, stressing that viral emergence begins with a stochastic process that involves the transmission of a preexisting viral strain into a new host species, followed by adaptation to the new host.

Experimental evolution of plant RNA viruses

Heredity, 2008

Undoubtedly, viruses represent a major threat faced by human and veterinary medicines and by agronomy. The rapid evolution of viruses enables them to escape from natural immunities and from state-of-the-art antiviral treatments, with new viruses periodically emerging with deadly consequences. Viruses have also become powerful and are increasingly used tools in the field of experimental evolution. A growing body of evidence points that the evolution of viruses is mainly determined by key features such as their compacted genomes, enormous population sizes, and short generation times. In addition, RNA viruses also present large selection coefficients, antagonistic epistasis, and high mutation rates. Most of this knowledge comes from studies that have used either bacteriophages or animal viruses in cell cultures as experimental systems. However, plant viruses provide almost identical advantages for evolutionary studies and, in addition, offer an invaluable tool for studying the interplay between viruses and pluricellular hosts. Without seeking to be exhaustive, here we summarize some peculiarities of plant viruses and review recent experiments that have explored important questions on evolution, such as the role of deleterious mutation and neutrality, the effect of different transmission modes in the evolution of virulence, and the heterogeneous selective constraints imposed by multiple hosts.

Phylogenetic Analysis of Ukrainian Isolates of RNA Viruses of Plants

2019

The availability of analytical approaches allowing fast deciphering of nucleotide sequences enables phylogenetic analysis of viruses and establishing homology among their strains/isolates for unveiling the history of virus evolution. This work was focused on phylogenetic analysis of the most important viruses infecting vegetable crops in Ukraine. ‘Field’ isolates of different plant RNA viruses were collected and analyzed from various agroecosystems. These included Potato virus Y (PVY), Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Watermelon mosaic virus 2 (WMV-2), Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV), Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV). Using MEGA6 software, phylogenetic trees were constructed, based on sequenced viral cDNAs corresponding to parts of the coat protein genes of the studied pathogens. Differing evolutionary trajectories were shown for some of the Ukrainian virus isolates. The study of the molecular properties of viruses, and especially those of viral genomes, has fundamental importance (tracing p...

Plant Virus Diversity and Evolution

Current Research Topics in Plant Virology

Historically, the majority of plant virology focused on agricultural systems. Recent efforts have expanded our knowledge of the true diversity of plant viruses by studying those viruses that infect wild, undomesticated plants. Those efforts have provided answers to basic ecological questions regarding viruses in the wild, and insights into evolutionary questions, regarding the origins of viruses. While much work has been done, we have merely scratched the surface of the diversity that is estimated to exist. In this chapter we discuss the state of our knowledge of virus diversity, both in agricultural systems as well as in native wild systems, the border between these two systems and how viruses adapt and move across this border into an artificial, domesticated environment. We look at how this diversity has affected our outlook on viruses as a whole, shifting our past view of viruses as purely antagonistic entities of destruction to one where viruses are in a mutually beneficial relationship with their hosts. Additionally, we discuss the current work that plant virology has put forth regarding the evolutionary mechanisms, the life histories, and the deep evolution of viruses.