AUTHOR=Telengech Paul , Hisano Sakae , Mugambi Cyrus , Hyodo Kiwamu , Arjona-López Juan Manuel , López-Herrera Carlos José , Kanematsu Satoko , Kondo Hideki , Suzuki Nobuhiro 

TITLE=Diverse Partitiviruses From the Phytopathogenic Fungus, Rosellinia necatrix

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2020.01064

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2020.01064

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>Partitiviruses (dsRNA viruses, family <italic>Partitiviridae</italic>) are ubiquitously detected in plants and fungi. Although previous surveys suggested their omnipresence in the white root rot fungus, <italic>Rosellinia necatrix</italic>, only a few of them have been molecularly and biologically characterized thus far. We report the characterization of a total of 20 partitiviruses from 16 <italic>R. necatrix</italic> strains belonging to 15 new species, for which “<italic>Rosellinia necatrix partitivirus 11</italic>–<italic>Rosellinia necatrix partitivirus 25</italic>” were proposed, and 5 previously reported species. The newly identified partitiviruses have been taxonomically placed in two genera, <italic>Alphapartitivirus</italic>, and <italic>Betapartitivirus</italic>. Some partitiviruses were transfected into reference strains of the natural host, <italic>R. necatrix</italic>, and an experimental host, <italic>Cryphonectria parasitica</italic>, using purified virions. A comparative analysis of resultant transfectants revealed interesting differences and similarities between the RNA accumulation and symptom induction patterns of <italic>R. necatrix</italic> and <italic>C. parasitica</italic>. Other interesting findings include the identification of a probable reassortment event and a quintuple partitivirus infection of a single fungal strain. These combined results provide a foundation for further studies aimed at elucidating mechanisms that underly the differences observed.</p>