a closterovirus associated with wild rose leaf rosette disease

What is it about?

We used deep-sequencing of small RNAs finding a novel closterovirus associated with wild rose leaf rosette disease, a bizarre virus-like symptom of a leaf rosette formed by dense small leaves on branches of wild roses. We named it ‘rose leaf rosette-associated virus’ (RLRaV). Phylogenetic analysis clearly placed RLRaV alongside members of the genus Closterovirus, family Closteroviridae. Genome organization of RLRaV RNA (17 653 nucleotides) showed 13 open reading frames (ORFs), except ORF1 and the quintuple gene block, most of which showed no significant similarities with known viral proteins, but, instead, had detectable identities to fungal or bacterial proteins. Additional novel molecular features indicated that RLRaV seems to be the most complex virus among the known genus members.

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Why is it important?

To our knowledge, this is the first report of a closterovirus, as well as two ilarviruses and one capilovirus, infecting wild roses. Our findings present novel information about the closterovirus and the aetiology of this rose disease which should facilitate its control. More importantly, the novel features of rose leaf rosette-associated virus help to clarify the molecular and evolutionary features of the closterovirus

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