Characterization of a novel bipartite double-stranded RNA mycovirus conferring hypovirulence in the phytopathogenic fungus Botrytis porri.

The ascomycete Botrytis porri causes clove rot and leaf blight of garlic worldwide. We report here the biological and molecular features of a novel bipartite double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) mycovirus named Botrytis porri RNA virus 1 (BpRV1) from the hypovirulent strain GarlicBc-72 of B. porri. The BpRV1 genome comprises two dsRNAs, dsRNA-1 (6,215 bp) and dsRNA-2 (5,879 bp), which share sequence identities of 62 and 95% at the 3'- and 5'-terminal regions, respectively. Two open reading frames (ORFs), ORF I (dsRNA-1) and ORF II (dsRNA-2), were detected. The protein encoded by the 3'-proximal coding region of ORF I shows sequence identities of 19 to 23% with RNA-dependent RNA polymerases encoded by viruses in the families Totiviridae, Chrysoviridae, and Megabirnaviridae. However, the proteins encoded by the 5'-proximal coding region of ORF I and by the entire ORF II lack sequence similarities to any reported virus proteins. Phylogenetic analysis showed that BpRV1 belongs to a separate clade distinct from those of other known RNA mycoviruses. Purified virions of ~35 nm in diameter encompass dsRNA-1 and dsRNA-2, and three structural proteins (SPs) of 70, 80, and 85 kDa, respectively. Peptide mass fingerprinting analysis revealed that the 80- and 85-kDa SPs are encoded by ORF I, while the 70-kDa SP is encoded by ORF II. Introducing BpRV1 purified virions into the virulent strain GarlicBc-38 of B. porri caused derivative 38T reduced mycelial growth and hypovirulence. These combined results suggest that BpRV1 is a novel bipartite dsRNA virus that possibly belongs to a new virus family.