Molecular characterisation of a strain of peanut stripe potyvirus from groundnut germplasm imported into South Africa

Abstract

Peanut stripe polyvirus (PStV) was identified in a groundnut plant grown from seed imported into South Africa. Host range, serology and electron microscopy studies indicated that the infective agent was an isolate of PStv. This was confirmed by sequencing the coat protein gene and a portion of the 3' untranslated region of the virus and comparing it with known strains of PStV. The local strain (PStV-95/399) was related to, but distinct from, strains of PStV reported from the USA. PStV-95/399 and the USA strains probably had a common ancestor, but the 95/399 sequence appeared to have diverged to a greater extent from this ancestral sequence. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that 951399 probably originated in the USA.