Abstract:

The Potato Virus Y (PVY) is one of the most economically important potato pathogens. PVY isolates are described according to their biological, serological and molecular characteristics. Such data have been used to classify PVY isolates in groups (including the PVYN and PVYO main groups) and variants (PVYN-W (also described as PVYN:O) and PVYNTN). However, the high variability of the PVY genome, together with the restricted knowledge on molecular determinant(s) linked to PVY biological properties and the characteristics of commonly used detection tools have impaired the description of several PVY isolates. Indeed, numerous studies have reported isolates with a set of properties that do not fit in the already described classification. It has been shown that most of these unconventional isolates result from original genomic recombination events between PVYN- and PVYO-like sequences. These viral isolates have to be more efficiently detected and characterized to 1) improve the description of the diversity of this potato pathogen, 2) better understand the PVY evolutionary processes and 3) identify selection pressures applied to the PVY genome during its evolution history. To reach these aims, 22 scientists and team leaders from European, African and American laboratories have created the “PVYwide Organization” (www.inra.fr/pvyorganization). Through this organization, members coordinate research on variability and evolution of PVY and analyse jointly the characteristics of thousands field-collected isolates. In addition to the studies of the plant-virus-vector interactions (e.g. pathogenicity, aphid transmission, host range,…), viral genomes of PVY isolates will be analysed using either an innovative technology for viral genotyping (multiplex icosaSNaPshot) or a regular sequencing procedure. All together, the resulting data could potentially offer new understandings on PVY.

PDF of the paper: Blanchard et al. 2008.