Detection and molecular characterization of Slovak tomato isolates belonging to two recombinant strains of potato virus Y

Abstract

Total RNAs from a symptomless tomato plant were subjected to next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis, revealing the presence of a single viral agent - potato virus Y (PVY). The analysis of determined full-length genome sequence assigned the PVY SL16 isolate to the recombinant PVY-N-Wi strain group. A series of primers targeting the four main recombinant junction (RJ) sites were used for characterization of additional 5 tomato PVY isolates recovered in Western Slovakia. Based on the partial sequences, the isolates could be classified as belonging to PVY-N-Wi and PVY-NTNa strain groups. Interestingly, both these distinct recombinant PVY types were identified in mixed infection in one tomato sample (SL31). Our results further reinforce the data on the complexity of PVY infection and confirm the recombination as a significant evolutionary process shaping the PVY diversity.