Molecular characterization of a begomovirus associated with leaf crumpling and severe mosaic disease of bell pepper

Bell pepper plant leaves showing typical begomovirus-like symptoms (crumpling, mosaic, and stunting) were collected from Jalandhar region of Punjab, India. Total DNA was isolated from symptomatic plant leaves, and species-specific primers were used to amplify and detect begomovirus. The full-length genome was amplified using the rolling circle amplification method, cloned into the pBluescript II KS (+) vector, and sequenced. A BLAST search of the current DNA-A isolate revealed the highest percentage of identity (98.83%) with other isolates. Betasatellite sequences on BLAST search showed a close similarity of 98.10% with other isolates. Phylogenetic analysis with other distinct begomovirus species revealed that the virus’s current DNA-A was closely related to the Papaya leaf crumple virus and the Chenopodium leaf distortion virus. For the present isolates of DNA-A and betasatellite, no major recombination event was found. In the present study, molecular identification and characterization of the Papaya leaf crumple virus with Papaya leaf curl betasatellite adds another host, and to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the present virus infecting the bell pepper plant worldwide.