A Divergent Strain of Melon Chlorotic Spot Virus Isolated from Black Medic (medicago Lupulina) in Austria

A tenuivirus, referred to here as JKI 29327, was isolated from a black medic (Medicago lupulina) plant collected in Austria. The virus was mechanically transmitted to Nicotiana benthamiana, M. lupulina, M. sativa, Pisum sativum and Vicia faba. The complete genome was determined by high throughput sequencing. The genome of JKI 29327 consists of eight RNA segments closely related to those of melon chlorotic spot virus (MeCSV) isolate E11–018 from France. Since segments RNA 7 and 8 of JKI 29327 are shorter, its genome is slightly smaller (by 247 nts) than that of E11–018. Pairwise comparisons between the predicted virus proteins of JKI 29327 and their homologues in E11–018 showed aa identities ranging from 80.6 to 97.2%. Plants infected with E11–081 gave intermediate DAS-ELISA reactions with polyclonal antibodies to JKI 29327. Since JKI 29327 and E11–018 appear to be closely related both serologically and genetically, we propose to regard JKI 29327 as the black medic strain of MeCSV. To our knowledge, JKI 29327 represents the second tenuivirus identified from a dicotyledonous plant. Serological and molecular diagnostic methods were developed for future detection.