Molecular Characterization of a Novel Putative Partitivirus Infecting Cytospora sacchari, a Plant Pathogenic Fungus

Three double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs), approximately 1.85, 1.65 and 1.27 kb in size, were detected in an isolate of Cytospora sacchari from Iran. Partial nucleotide sequence revealed a 1,284 bp segment containing one ORF that potentially encodes a 405 aa protein. This protein contains conserved motifs related to RNA dependent RNA polymerases (RdRp) that showed similarity to RdRps of partitiviruses. The results indicate that these dsRNAs represent a novel Partitivirus that we tentatively designate Cytospora sacchari partitivirus (CsPV). Treatment of the fungal strain by cyclohexamide and also hyphal tip culture had no effect on removing the putative virus. Phylogenetic analysis of putative RdRp of CsPV and other partitiviruses places CsPV as a member of the genus Partitivirus in the family Partitiviridae, and clustering with Aspergillus ochraceous virus 1

Molecular Characterization of a Novel Putative Partitivirus Infecting Cytospora sacchari, a Plant Pathogenic Fungus

Three double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs), approximately 1.85, 1.65 and 1.27 kb in size, were detected in an isolate of Cytospora sacchari from Iran. Partial nucleotide sequence revealed a 1,284 bp segment containing one ORF that potentially encodes a 405 aa protein. This protein contains conserved motifs related to RNA dependent RNA polymerases (RdRp) that showed similarity to RdRps of partitiviruses. The results indicate that these dsRNAs represent a novel Partitivirus that we tentatively designate Cytospora sacchari partitivirus (CsPV). Treatment of the fungal strain by cyclohexamide and also hyphal tip culture had no effect on removing the putative virus. Phylogenetic analysis of putative RdRp of CsPV and other partitiviruses places CsPV as a member of the genus Partitivirus in the family Partitiviridae, and clustering with Aspergillus ochraceous virus 1

Source of used isolates in phylogeny.

<p>Source of used isolates in phylogeny.</p

Pathogenicity test.

<p>(A) Inoculation of <i>P</i>. <i>formosus</i> on two years old twigs of pistachio in orchard. Fungus development and canker formation are evident. The fungus develops along the axis of the branch. (B) Control inoculation and callus formation in pathogen free scar.</p

Obtained isolates of <i>Paecilomyces</i>.

<p>Obtained isolates of <i>Paecilomyces</i>.</p

Most parsimonous tree based on combined data set of <i>ITS</i>, <i>β-tubulin</i> and <i>calmodulin</i> sequences.

<p>sequences are from 62 selected isolates and close taxa using MEGA 7 software, showing low variation among our isolates. Isolates from <i>Pistacia vera</i>, Isolates from <i>Pistacia mutica</i>, Isolates from <i>Punica granatum</i>, Isolates from <i>Tamarix hispida</i>, Isolates from <i>Tamarix aphylla</i>, Isolates from <i>Prunus amygdalus</i>, Isolates from <i>Haloxylon</i> sp., Isolates from <i>Nerium oleander</i>, Isolates from <i>Caesalpinia gilliesii</i> and Isolates from the air of pistachio orchards. The percentages above and below the branches are the frequencies of a given branch appeared in 1000 bootstrap replications. Bootstrap values less than 50% are not displayed. <i>Paecilomyces formosus</i> CBS990.73B has been used as outgroup.</p

Acid production on CREA.

<p>(A) Creatine sucrose agar (CREA) plate inoculated with isolate Pf623 which was unable to grow and produce acid, hence an unchanged purple plate color and (B) CREA plate inoculated with isolate Pf613 which was able to grow and produce acid at 25°C for seven days in continuous dark condition; acid production indicated by the color change to yellow.</p

Strains and their sequences from GenBank (NCBI) used in phylogenetic analysis.

<p>Strains and their sequences from GenBank (NCBI) used in phylogenetic analysis.</p

Most parsimonous tree based on combined data set of <i>ITS</i>, <i>β-tubulin</i> and <i>calmodulin</i> sequences.

<p>sequences are from 18 selected isolates and close taxa using MEGA 7 software, showing the relationship among our isolates and <i>Paecilomyces formosus</i> isolates, especialy to <i>P</i>. <i>lecythidis</i>. The percentages above and below the branches are the frequencies of a given branch appeared in 1000 bootstrap replications. Bootstrap values less than 50% are not displayed. <i>Thermoascus crustaceus</i> has been used as outgroup.</p

Disaster-related posttraumatic stress symptoms and sustained attention: Evaluation of depressive symptomatology and sleep disturbances as mediators

Research about attentional functioning following trauma has almost exclusively been performed in patient populations with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this study the relationship between sustained attention and PTSD symptoms was examined in a community sample of survivors of a major disaster using the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT) and the Self-Rating Scale for PTSD (SRS-PTSD) 2-3 years postdisaster. Analyses revealed low but significant partial correlations between PTSD symptoms and the least difficult subtests, ruling out the effects of age, education, depressive symptomatology, and sleep disturbances. These results demonstrate that PTSD symptoms link to attentional dysfunction 2-3 years postdisaste