Nucleotide sequence analysis reveals the presence of PVY-Tam isolates affecting tamarillo in Colombia
Martínez Moncayo, Carolina (Universidad de Nariño (Colòmbia))
Lagos-Burbano, Tulio César (Universidad de Nariño (Colòmbia))
Ontañón, Clara (Centre de Recerca en Agrigenòmica)
Ferriol, Inmaculada (Instituto de Ciencias Agrarias (CSIC))
Lopez-Moya, Juan Jose (Centre de Recerca en Agrigenòmica)
Uranga, Mireia (Centre de Recerca en Agrigenòmica)

Date:	2026
Abstract:	Background: Tamarillo or tree tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav. ) is a fruit tree species of Andean origin with cultural and economic relevance in Colombia. The high incidence of complex viral diseases termed “virosis” in all tamarillo-growing regions of the country leads to huge production losses and seriously threatens its cultivation. Methods: RNA-seq libraries were constructed for symptomatic samples from eight tamarillo-growing locations across the Department of Nariño (Colombia). Their virus diversity was characterized using the Genome Detective software. The identified PVY isolate was subsequently subjected to RT-PCR validation and phylogenetic analysis. Results: Several virus species belonging to the genera Torradovirus, Potyvirus and Polerovirus were identified in mixed infections in tamarillo. Full- or nearly full-length genomes were generated for tomato torrado virus (ToTV), physalis torrado virus (PhyTV), potato leafroll virus (PLRV), and a novel isolate of potato virus Y-Tamarillo (PVY-Tam). When present, PVY-Tam seems to synergistically boost the accumulation of unrelated viruses, therefore contributing to the severity of the infections. Nucleotide sequence analysis suggests that the PVY-Tam from Nariño originated in South America by a recent divergence of the PVYN lineage, and possibly by the recombination of geographically close isolates. Moreover, P3N-PIPO, a frameshift product from the potyviral P3 gene, shows variations in protein lenght between PVY isolates that might be involved with host-specific adaptations. Conclusions: We provide evidence of a novel PVY-Tam isolate in the Andean region that might promote the severity of unrelated virus partners in field-grown tamarillo. Our findings contribute to understanding tamarillo virosis for the development of effective diagnostic and control strategies.
Grants:	European Commission 101000570 Agencia Estatal de Investigación CEX2019-000902-S Agencia Estatal de Investigación PID2022-139376OB-C33 Agencia Estatal de Investigación PRE2020-094228
Note:	Altres ajuts: CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya; Work at ICA was funded by the CSIC (project No 202240I189)
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Tamarillo ; High-throughput sequencing ; Virus identification ; Torradovirus ; Potyvirus ; Potato virus Y
Published in:	Virology Journal, Vol. 23, Num. 1 (December 2026) , art. 145, ISSN 1743-422X

DOI: 10.1186/s12985-026-03166-6

11 p, 1.7 MB

The record appears in these collections:
Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > CRAG (Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles