Detection of potato virus S in Colorado potato beetle RNA-seq data

Potato virus S (PVS) is a widely distributed potato pathogen that typically causes mild or asymptomatic infections. Still, certain genotypes can cause up to 20% yield losses, especially when co-infected with other viruses. Aphids are the only currently recognized insect vectors of PVS; however, the mechanical transmission through plant contact is also known. The Colorado potato beetle (CPB) is a major potato pest. In this study, we report the partial PVS genome assembled from the RNA-seq data obtained from CPB field samples and the phylogenetic analysis of its triple gene block (TGB) nucleotide sequence with corresponding sequences, extracted from published PVS genomes and PVS genomes assembled from publicly available CPB RNA-Seq data. The CPB-derived PVS sequences clustered within the globally prevalent PVS^I phylogroup, indicating they are typical PVS strains rather than a highly divergent variant. These results demonstrate the wide presence of PVS genetic material in CPB. With the emerging PVS variants showing increased transmissibility and pathogenicity, PVS could be considered an underappreciated potato pathogen and thus further studies are needed to determine whether CPB may play a role in PVS transmission.