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Abstract
Two strains of Potato virus Y (PVY), the common (PVY(O)) and the tobacco veinal necrosis
(PVY(N)) have been known for decades. More recently, a tuber ringspot necrosis (PVY(NTN)),
and several recombinants of PVY(O) and PVY(N) (designated here as PVY(N:O)) have been
described. Further, the PVY(N) group of strains have been assigned to two geographical
subgroups of European (EU) PVY(N/NTN) and the North American (NA) PVY(N/NTN). The
evolution of new PVY(N) strains, has complicated the diagnosis, which requires a combination
of bioassay, serological and molecular assays. To simplify the identification and
differentiation of various PVY(N) strain groups, a competitive (single antisense and
multiple sense primers) reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was
used, making use of minor differences in the variable region part of the PVY genome.
Specifically, primers based on small variations in nucleotide stretches of P1 gene
permitted a broad range separation of PVY(O) and PVY(N) groups and the specific detection
of strain subgroups. The primer pairs designed for identifying PVY(O), EU-PVY(N/NTN),
NA-PVY(N) and NA-PVY(NTN) are described. Primer pairs can be used in a uniplex (single
pair of primer) or multiplex (duplex, tetraplex or pentaplex) competitive RT-PCR,
allowing simultaneous testing for any combination of PVY(O), EU-PVY(N/NTN), NA-PVY(N)
and NA-PVY(NTN).