Genetic and phenotypic variation of the Pepper golden mosaic virus complex

Three isolates of the bipartite begomovirus Pepper golden mosaic virus (PepGMV) were characterized for genomic and biological properties. The complete nucleotide sequences of the DNA-A and DNA-B components were determined from infectious clones of PepGMV-Serrano (PepGMV-Ser), PepGMV-Mosaic (PepGMV-Mo), and PepGMV-Distortion (PepGMV-D). Nucleotide sequence identity among PepGMV components ranged from 91 to 96% for DNA-A and from 84 to 99% for DNA-B, with each PepGMV component most closely related to the corresponding component of Cabbage leaf curl virus (CaLCV). However, phylogenetic relationships among begomovirus components were incongruent because DNA-A of PepGMV and CaLCV share an inferred evolutionary history distinct from that of DNA-B. The cloned components of PepGMV-Ser, -Mo, and -D were infectious by biolistic inoculation to pepper but differed in symptom expression: PepGMV-Ser exhibited a bright golden mosaic, PepGMV-Mo produced a yellow-green mosaic, and PepGMV-D caused only a mild mosaic and foliar distortion followed by a “recovery” phenotype in which leaves developing after initial symptom expression appeared normal. Differences in symptoms also were observed on tomato, tobacco, and Datura stramonium. Progeny virus derived from clones of PepGMV-Ser and -Mo were transmitted from pepper to pepper by the B biotype of Bemisia tabaci; progeny virus derived from PepGMV-D clones was not transmissible by the B biotype. Reassortant genomes derived from heterologous DNA components of the three isolates were infectious in all possible pairwise combinations, with symptom phenotype in pepper determined by the DNA-B component. Collectively, these results indicate that the three virus isolates examined may be considered distinct strains of PepGMV that have the capacity to exchange genetic material.