Characterization of Five Novel Mitoviruses in the White Pine Blister Rust Fungus Cronartium ribicola

PLoS One. 2016 May 19;11(5):e0154267. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154267. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

The white pine blister rust (WPBR) fungus Cronartium ribicola (J.C. Fisch.) is an exotic invasive forest pathogen causing severe stem canker disease of native white pine trees (subgenus Strobus) in North America. The present study reports discovery of five novel mitoviruses in C. ribicola by deep RNA sequencing. The complete genome of each mitovirus was determined by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A single open reading frame (ORF) encoding a putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) was detected in each of the viral genomes using mitochondrial genetic codes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the C. ribicola mitoviruses (CrMV1 to CrMV5) are new putative species of the genus Mitovirus. qRT-PCR and RNA-Seq analyses revealed that viral RNAs were significantly increased in fungal mycelia in cankered pine stems compared to expression during two different stages of spore development, suggesting that viral genome replication and transcription benefit from active growth of the host fungus. CrMVs were widespread with relatively high levels of minor allele frequency (MAF) in western North America. As the first report of mitoviruses in the Class Pucciniomycetes, this work allows further investigation of the dynamics of a viral community in the WPBR pathosystem, including potential impacts that may affect pathogenicity and virulence of the host fungus.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Basidiomycota / virology*
  • DNA, Complementary / analysis
  • Genetic Variation
  • Genome, Viral*
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation
  • Open Reading Frames
  • Phylogeny
  • Pinus / microbiology*
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology*
  • Plant Stems / microbiology
  • RNA Viruses / classification
  • RNA Viruses / isolation & purification*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Analysis, RNA
  • Transcriptome

Substances

  • DNA, Complementary

Grants and funding

J-JL and RNS received financial support from PFC-CFS DG’s fund, CFS-A base program, and the CFS-GRDI grant. RAS received grant from US-FS that allowed continuous collaboration between CFS and US-FS. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.