CGB - Universidad Mayor

03 abril 2015

Deep sequencing reveals the complete genome and evidence for transcriptional activity of the first virus-like sequences identified in Aristotelia chilensis (Maqui Berry).

DOI : 10.3390/v7041685

DESCARGAR

Here, we report the genome sequence and evidence for transcriptional activity of

a virus-like element in the native Chilean berry tree Aristotelia chilensis. We

propose to name the endogenous sequence as Aristotelia chilensis Virus 1 (AcV1).

High-throughput sequencing of the genome of this tree uncovered an endogenous

viral element, with a size of 7122 bp, corresponding to the complete genome of

AcV1. Its sequence contains three open reading frames (ORFs): ORFs 1 and 2

shares 66%-73% amino acid similarity with members of the Caulimoviridae virus

family, especially the Petunia vein clearing virus (PVCV), Petuvirus genus. ORF1

encodes a movement protein (MP); ORF2 a Reverse Transcriptase (RT) and a

Ribonuclease H (RNase H) domain; and ORF3 showed no amino acid sequence

similarity with any other known virus proteins. Analogous to other known

endogenous pararetrovirus sequences (EPRVs), AcV1 is integrated in the genome of

Maqui Berry and showed low viral transcriptional activity, which was detected by

deep sequencing technology (DNA and RNA-seq). Phylogenetic analysis of AcV1 and

other pararetroviruses revealed a closer resemblance with Petuvirus. Overall,

our data suggests that AcV1 could be a new member of Caulimoviridae family,

genus Petuvirus, and the first evidence of this kind of virus in a fruit plant.

Investigadores Participantes del Centro

Edificio2

Contacto

Edificio de Ciencias, Piso 5 - Campus Huechuraba - Camino La Pirámide 5750, Huechuraba
+56 2 2328 1323|cgbum@umayor.cl