viruses Article Discovery and Characterization of a Novel Ampelovirus on Firespike 1, 1, 1,2 3 1, 1,2, Yaqin Wang y, Yu Song y, Yongzhi Wang , Mengji Cao , Tao Hu * and Xueping Zhou * 1 State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China;
[email protected] (Y.W.);
[email protected] (Y.S.);
[email protected] (Y.W.) 2 State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China 3 National Citrus Engineering and Technology Research Center, Citrus Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 400712, China;
[email protected] * Correspondence:
[email protected] (T.H.);
[email protected] (X.Z.) These authors contributed equally to this work. y Academic Editors: Olivier Lemaire and Etienne Herrbach Received: 23 October 2020; Accepted: 9 December 2020; Published: 16 December 2020 Abstract: A novel RNA virus was identified in firespike (Odontonema tubaeforme) plants exhibiting leaf curling and chlorosis. The molecular features of the viral genomic RNA and proteins resemble those of ampeloviruses. Based on sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analysis, we propose a new species in the genus Ampelovirus, which we have tentatively named Firespike leafroll-associated virus (FLRaV). Bioassays showed that the virus is mechanically transmissible to Nicotiana benthamiana. In addition, a full-length cDNA clone of FLRaV could successfully infect N. benthamiana via agroinfiltration. Keywords: Ampelovirus; firespike leafroll-associated virus; Closteroviridae; infectious cDNA clone 1. Introduction Members of the genus Ampelovirus (family Closteroviridae) are plant RNA viruses that infect mainly fruit crops in orchards and stock nurseries, causing serious reductions in fruit yield and quality worldwide [1].