The ever increasing diversity of begomoviruses infecting non-cultivated hosts: new species from Sida spp. and Leonurus sibiricus, plus two New World alphasatellites

Begomoviruses (whitefly-transmitted, single-stranded DNA plant viruses) are among the most damaging pathogens causing epidemics in economically important crops worldwide. Besides cultivated plants, many weed and wild hosts act as virus reservoirs where recombination may occur, resulting in new species. The aim of this study was to further characterise the diversity of begomoviruses infecting two major weed genera, Sida and Leonurus. Total DNA was extracted from samples collected in the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Parana and Mato Grosso do Sul during the years 2009-2011. Viral genomes were enriched by rolling circle amplification (RCA), linearised into unit length genomes using various restriction enzymes, cloned and sequenced. A total of 78 clones were obtained: 37 clones from Sida spp. plants and 41 clones from Leonurus sibiricus plants. Sequence analysis indicated the presence of six bipartite begomovirus species and two alphasatellites. In Sida spp. plants we found Sida micrantha mosaic virus (SiMMV), Euphorbia yellow mosaic virus (EuYMV), and three isolates that represent new species, for which the following names are proposed: Sida chlorotic mottle virus (SiCMoV), Sida bright yellow mosaic virus (SiBYMV) and Sida golden yellow spot virus (SiGYSV), an OldWorld-like begomovirus. L. sibiricus plants had a lower diversity of begomoviruses compared to Sida spp., with only Tomato yellow spot virus (ToYSV) and EuYMV (for the first time detected infecting plants of the genus Leonurus) detected. Two satellite DNA molecules were found: Euphorbia yellow mosaic alphasatellite, for the first time detected infecting plants of the genus Sida, and a new alphasatellite associated with ToYSV in L. sibiricus. These results constitute further evidence of the high species diversity of begomoviruses in non-cultivated hosts, particularly Sida spp.