In Silico and Molecular Analysis of Some Mosaic Diseases on Cucurbit Plants in Iğdır Province, TÜrkiye

Abstract

Cucumber mosaic cucumovirus (CMV) and Watermelon mosaic potyvirus (WMV) are plant viruses with positive single-stranded RNA genome that infect cucurbits and cause economic losses. Both viruses cause especially mosaic pattern and deformities in leaves, in cucurbit plants. The leaves of 23 melon and 28 watermelon plants showing such symptoms were sampled from different regions of Iğdır province. Samples with and without symptoms were tested by the Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) using coat protein gene (CP)-specific primers. Polymerization tests amplified DNA fragments of the expected size for CMV and WMV. Some fragments with positive results were purified, bacterial cloned, nucleotide sequences revealed and registered in the GeneBank (NCBI). Sequence analyzes showed that it contained 593 bp and 822 bp for CMV and WMV, corresponding to the partial CP gene. Phylogenetic relationships with isolates from different geographical regions and plant material were investigated for both viruses. The generated phylogenetic tree confirmed that CMV-Iğdır isolate was in Group I and subgroup B, and WMV-Iğdır isolates were in different groups. In addition, coat proteins of virus isolates were characterized by in silico tools. In the current study, the presence WMV of and CMV in watermelon and melon was determined for the first time in Iğdır province, and group/subgroup assignments of CMV were revealed.