Genomic characterization of a highly divergent tomato chlorotic mottle Guyane virus strain in the Brazilian Amazon River Basin

Foliar samples were collected from the tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) cultivar ‘IPA-6’ exhibiting begomovirus-like symptoms (apical leaf curling and chlorosis) in Iranduba (Brazilian Amazon). PCR tests with degenerate primers targeting DNA–A and DNA–B components of a sample designated as AM–035 were positive for both genomic regions. Full-length cognate DNA–A and DNA–B components of AM–035 were cloned and sequenced via Sanger dideoxy termination reaction. The complete sequence of the DNA–A component (MK878452) comprised 2,630 nucleotides (organized in five open reading frames – ORFs), and the DNA–B component (MK878451) displayed 2,593 nucleotides (two ORFs). The highest identities ranged from 90 to 92% with tomato chlorotic mottle Guyane virus (ToCMoGV) isolates from French Guiana, indicating a highly divergent Brazilian strain of this virus. The present work reinforces the scenario of the high diversity of tomato-infecting begomoviruses in Brazil. Further studies are needed to determine the distribution and prevalence of ToCMoGV across tomato-producing areas in the Brazilian Amazon River Basin.