Biological and Molecular Characterization of Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus Affecting Bottle Gourd and Watermelon Plants in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

To cite this paper: Amer, M.A., 2015. Biological and molecular characterization of cucumber green mottle mosaic virus affecting bottle gourd and watermelon plants in Saudi Arabia. AbstractSamples were collected from seven of each bottle gourd and watermelon plants grown in Riyadh and Hail regions of Saudi Arabia in May, 2012 showing symptom suspected to be virus infection and analyzed by a double antibody sandwich against bottle gourd and watermelon viruses. Two of watermelon and three of bottle gourd samples were found to be positive with Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV). However, variable results were obtained with other viruses infecting cucurbits. One sample of CGMMV positive samples from each region were homogenized in a mortar separately and used to make mechanical inoculation on 25 plant species which produced characteristic symptoms of tobamo virus infection. Five ELISA-positive samples from naturally infection were further tested and detected by RT-PCR assay using virus specific primers that amplified a 400 bp fragment in the coat protein gene. The nucleotide sequence of the PCR products from the Saudi isolates of CGMMV isolated from bottle gourd and watermelon were determined and demonstrated its similarity to the other isolates of CGMMV recorded in NCBI. The CP gene of CGMMV-Saudi Arabia isolates shared between 87.2% and 99.7% identity in nucleotide level. The synthesized cDNA probe for CGMMV detection was hybridized with nucleic acid extracts from infected samples collected from the above mentioned locations. This is the first report regarding the genetic makeup of CGMMV at the molecular level in Saudi Arabia.

Genome-wide identification of new reference genes for RT-qPCR normalization in CGMMV-infected Lagenaria siceraria

“…It produces severe mosaic symptoms on the leaves of infected plants and causes fruit deformation, resulting in reduced yield and low market value ( Ugaki et al, 1991 ; Sano et al, 1997 ; Tan et al, 2000 ; Zheng et al, 2015 ; Ali, Mohammad & Khattab, 2012 ). It has a worldwide distribution, and has been reported from many countries, including Israel, China, Greece, USA, Saudi Arabia and Russia ( Ali, Mohammad & Khattab, 2012 ; Zheng et al, 2015 ; Slavokhotova et al, 2007 ; Antignus et al, 1990 ; Varveri, Vassilakos & Bem, 2002 ; Ali, Natsuaki & Okuda, 2004 ; Amer, 2015 ).…”