Partial biological and molecular characterization of a Cucumber mosaic virus isolate naturally infecting Cucumis melo in Iran.

Melon seedlings showing systemic chlorotic spots and mosaic symptoms were collected in central part of Iran, and a virus was isolated from diseased plants by mechanical inoculation. The virus systemically infected the most inoculated test plants by inducing mosaic symptoms, while, in the members of Fabaceae family and Chenopodium quinoa induced local lesions. Agar gel diffusion test using a polyclonal antiserum against a squash Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) isolate showed the presence of CMV in the mechanically inoculated plants (designated CMV-Me). The virus was purified by polyethylene glycol precipitation and differential centrifugation. A polyclonal antiserum was produced against the virus that reacted specifically with virus antigen in ELISA and agar gel diffusion tests. The virus was molecularly characterized by PCR amplification of the full length of the coat protein gene using cucumovirus genus specific primer pair CPTALL-3/CPTALL-5 and sequence analysis of the resulting product. No RNA satellite was detected using the primer pair CMVsat3H/sat5T7P. Phylogenetic analysis based on the coat protein amino acid sequences showed that CMV-Me belongs to Subgroup IB. These results may be helpful in melon breeding programs, focusing on plant resistance to plant viruses including CMV.