Plant Viruses Online   

Descriptions and Lists from the VIDE Database

Blueberry shoestring sobemovirus

Index

• Nomenclature
• Host range, transmission and symptoms
• Physical and biochemical properties
• Taxonomy and relationships
• Comments and References

Data collated by D.C. Ramsdell, 1987.

Nomenclature

Acronym

BSSV

ICTV decimal code

67.0.1.0.002

Host range and symptoms

Natural host range and symptoms

Symptoms persist and vary seasonally.
• Vaccinium corymbosum, V. angustifolium - "shoestring" disease; reddish streaks on stems, narrow strap-like leaves, occasional flower-breaking, severe yield reduction.

Transmission

Transmitted by a vector; an insect; Masonaphis pepperi; Aphididae. Transmitted in a semi-persistent manner (probably). Virus not transmitted congenitally to the progeny of the vector; transmitted by mechanical inoculation; transmitted by grafting; not transmitted by contact between plants; not transmitted by seed; not transmitted by pollen.

Ecology and control

Studies reported by Morimoto and Ramsdell (1985); Morimoto et al. (1985).

Geographical distribution

Spreads in the USA (in Michigan and New Jersey).

Experimental host range

Few (<3) families susceptible. Experimentally infected plants mostly show malformation, streaking.

Diagnostically susceptible host species and symptoms

• Vaccinium spp. - oak leaf pattern on leaves malformed shoestring leaves, red streaks on stems; blossoms pink.

Maintenance and propagation hosts

Vaccinium corymbosum.

Susceptible host species

• Vaccinium
• Vaccinium angustifolium
• Vaccinium corymbosum

Families containing susceptible hosts

• Ericaceae (3/3)

Sources of host-range data

Ramsdell (1979a).

Physical and biochemical properties

Properties of particles in sap

Leaf sap contains few virions.

Purification method

Ramsdell (1979a); Ramsdell (1979b).

Particle morphology

Virions isometric; not enveloped; 27 nm in diameter; rounded in profile; without a conspicuous capsomere arrangement.

Physical properties

One sedimenting component in purified preparations; sedimentation coefficient 120 S. Density 1.392 g cm^-3 in CsCl. Density 1.273 in Cs₂SO₄ and 1.355 g/cm³. Isoelectric point pH 4.6-4.7.

Biochemical properties

Virions contain 20 % nucleic acid (in the single component); 80 % protein (in the single component).

Genome consists of RNA; single-stranded; linear. Total genome size 4.2 kb. Genome unipartite; largest (or only) genome part 4.2 kb. Genomic nucleic acid isolated by Ramsdell (1979b). Poly A region absent. Additional factor not required for infectivity. Genome has no tRNA-like activity.

Features of the genome

Non-genomic nucleic acid not found in the virions. Sub-genomic mRNA not found in infected cells.

Features of proteins

Virion protein(s) one; M_r 30000; coat protein. Method of preparation: Ramsdell (1979b).

Replication

Replication does not depend on a helper virus.

Cytopathology

Virions found in mesophyll, epidermis, meristem, xylem, phloem and palisade parenchyma; in cytoplasm, in nuclei, and in cell vacuoles (in small cytoplasmic vacuoles). Inclusions absent from infected cells. Other cellular changes: rod-like materials in palisade cells (Hartman et al., 1973).

Taxonomy and relationships

Sobemovirus

Virus(es) with serologically unrelated virions

33 viruses with isometric virions (Ramsdell, 1979a).

Best tests for diagnosis

Look for reddish streaks on stems.

Comments and References

References

• Converse, R.H., Martin, R.R. and Spiegel, S. (1987). In: Virus Diseases of Small Fruits; ed. R.H. Converse. U.S. Dep. Agric. Hdbk No. 631.
• Fraser, N.W. (1970). In: Virus and Virus-Like Diseases of Small Fruit and Grapevines; ed. N.W. Fraser. University of California, Berkeley, California, U.S.A..
• Gillet, J.M., Morimoto, K.M., Ramsdell, D.C., Baker, K.K. Chaney, W.G. and Esselman, W.J. (1982). Acta Hort. 129: 25.
• Hancock, J.F., Morimoto, K.M., Pritts, M.P. and Ramsdell, D.C. (1986). Hort. Science 21: 1059.
• Hancock, J.F., Morimoto, K.M., Roeche, J.M., Schulte, N.L. and Ramsdell, D.C. (1986). Fruit Var. J. 40: 56.
• Hartman, J.X., Bath, J.E. and Hooper, G.R. (1973). Phytopathology 63: 432.
• Klomparens, K.L., Petersen, J.F., Ramsdell, D.C. and Chaney, W.G. (1986). J. Electron Micro. Tech. 4: 47.
• Lesney, M.S. and Ramsdell, D.C. (1976). Acta Hort. 66: 105.
• Lesney, M.S., Ramsdell, D.C. and Sun, M. (1978). Phytopathology 68: 295.
• Morimoto, K.M. and Ramsdell, D.C. (1985). Phytopathology 75: 1217.
• Morimoto, K.M., Ramsdell, D.C., Gillet, J.M. and Chaney, W.G. (1985). Phytopathology 75: 709.
• Ramsdell, D.C. (1979a). CMI/AAB Descr. Pl. Viruses No. 204, 4 pp.
• Ramsdell, D.C. (1979b). Phytopathology 69: 1087.
• Schulte, N.L. (1985). J. Am. Soc. Hort. Sci. 110: 343.
• Varney, E.H. (1957). Phytopathology 47: 307.

Cite this publication as: Brunt, A.A., Crabtree, K., Dallwitz, M.J., Gibbs, A.J., Watson, L. and Zurcher, E.J. (eds.) (1996 onwards). `Plant Viruses Online: Descriptions and Lists from the VIDE Database. Version: 20^th August 1996.' URL http://biology.anu.edu.au/Groups/MES/vide/

Dallwitz (1980) and Dallwitz, Paine and Zurcher (1993) should also be cited.