Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 17, 2026
A Rapid Strategy for the Isolation of New Faustoviruses from Environmental Samples Using Vermamoeba vermiformis
Published on: June 4, 2016
Isolation and characterization of two mitoviruses and a putative alphapartitivirus from Fusarium spp
Hideki Osaki1, Atsuko Sasaki, Koji Nomiyama
1NARO Western Region Agricultural Research Center, 6-12-1 Nishifukatsu, Fukuyama, Hiroshima, 721-8514, Japan, hideki@affrc.go.jp.
Abstract:
The filamentous fungus Fusarium spp. includes several important plant pathogens. We attempted to reveal presence of double-stranded (ds) RNAs in the genus. Thirty-seven Fusarium spp. at the MAFF collection were analyzed. In the strains of Fusarium coeruleum, Fusarium globosum and Fusarium solani f. sp. pisi, single dsRNA bands were detected. The strains of F. coeruleum and F. solani f. sp. pisi cause potato dry rot and mulberry twig blight, respectively. Sequence analyses revealed that dsRNAs in F. coeruleum and F. globosum consisted of 2423 and 2414 bp, respectively. Using the fungal mitochondrial translation table, the positive strands of these cDNAs were found to contain single open reading frames with the potential to encode a protein of putative 757 and 717 amino acids (molecular mass 88.5 and 84.0 kDa, respectively), similar to RNA-dependent RNA polymerases of members of the genus Mitovirus. These dsRNAs in F. coeruleum and F. globosum were assigned to the genus Mitovirus (family Narnaviridae), and these two mitoviruses were designated as Fusarium coeruleum mitovirus 1 and Fusarium globosum mitovirus 1. On the other hand, a positive strand of cDNA (1950 bp) from dsRNA in F. solani f. sp. pisi contained an ORF potentially encoding a putative RdRp of 608 amino acids (72.0 kDa). The putative RdRp was shown to be related to those of members of the genus of Alphapartitivirus (family Partitiviridae). We coined the name Fusarium solani partitivirus 2 for dsRNA in F. solani f. sp. pisi.
Insights
This study detected double-stranded RNAs in Fusarium fungi, identifying two new mitoviruses in Fusarium coeruleum and Fusarium globosum, and a partitivirus in Fusarium solani.
Area of Science:
- Mycology
- Virology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Fusarium species are significant plant pathogens.
- The presence of double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) in Fusarium was investigated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detect and characterize dsRNAs in various Fusarium species.
- To identify the types of viruses associated with these dsRNAs.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 37 Fusarium spp. strains from the MAFF collection.
- dsRNA extraction and sequencing.
- Sequence analysis to identify open reading frames (ORFs) and protein homology.
Main Results:
- Single dsRNA bands were found in Fusarium coeruleum, Fusarium globosum, and Fusarium solani f. sp. pisi.
- dsRNAs in F. coeruleum and F. globosum encoded proteins similar to RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRp) of Mitovirus, leading to the designation Fusarium coeruleum mitovirus 1 and Fusarium globosum mitovirus 1.
- dsRNA in F. solani f. sp. pisi encoded an RdRp related to Alphapartitivirus, named Fusarium solani partitivirus 2.
Conclusions:
- Two novel mitoviruses were identified in Fusarium species.
- A novel partitivirus was identified in Fusarium solani.
- This research expands the understanding of viral diversity within the Fusarium genus.
