Isolation of a subterranean clover mottle virus-like satellite RNA from lucerne infected with lucerne transient streak virus.

A circular, viroid-like satellite RNA (sat RNA) was detected in lucerne transient streak virus (LTSV), from lucerne in South Australia. It was larger than the previously reported sat RNA of LTSV, being similar in size and sequence homology to the 388 nucleotide sat RNA previously shown to be encapsidated by subterranean clover mottle virus (SCMoV) isolated from subterranean clover in Western Australia. This indicates that under field conditions, very similar sat RNAs can be associated with two distantly related sobemoviruses, LTSV and SCMoV. The natural hosts of these viruses are lucerne and subterranean clover, respectively.