Cloning and Partial Characterization of Begomovirus(es) from Duranta Repens

Abstract

Duranta repens is an evergreen ornamental plant and has many medicinal uses. It has been shown to possess antimicrobial, antioxidant, and insecticide properties. Its phytoconstituents are reported as the basis of its efficacious therapeutic properties. The leaf curl disease of Duranta repens is prevalent in Pakistan and exhibits symptoms typical of begomoviral infection. In present study,some of the infected plants having symptoms of severe leaf curling were observed in the vicinity of NUST, Pakistan during 2018.The investigation of begomovirus and betasatellite association having symptoms of duranta disease was done by sequence analysis through PCR. Universal primers WTGF/WTGR and Beta01/Beta02 were used for amplification of ∼1.5 kb and ∼1kb DNA fragment for begomovirus (DNA-A) and β-DNA respectively. The highest nucleotide sequence identity (90%) and phylogenetic interpretations revealed close relation of begomovirus (DNA-A) and β-satellite spotted in D. repens with Rose Leaf Curl Virus (RoLCuV). This result indicated that D. repens plants infested with RoLCuV and related satellite DNA act as reservoir that could lead to increased incidence of rose leaf curl disease in Pakistan and could also lead to the evolution of new virus and satellite species by recombination.