Abstract Title
The Discovery of Novel Mycoviruses in Saccharomyces Yeasts
Abstract
Pathogenic plant fungi are an ongoing threat to crop production, invoking the use of fungicides to reduce fungal disease incidence. Mycoviruses (viruses of fungi) can act as a potential biocontrol agent against pathogenic fungi by reducing fungal virulence. Saccharomyces yeasts are known to harbor mycoviruses, but few have been identified within species other than Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and their diversity is not well understood. In this project, we were able to examine the prevalence of mycoviruses of exotic Saccharomyces yeasts and determine their genome sequence. We screened 107 Saccharomyces yeasts for mycoviruses by performing double stranded RNA extractions and successfully identified 25 viruses from 5 different Saccharomyces species. Using Next Generation Sequencing, two dsRNA molecules were identified as being closely related to the previously sequenced L-A and L-BC totiviruses. This project will enable further sequencing of mycoviruses from Saccharomyces yeasts to better understand their evolutionary relationship, diversity, and host range.
The Discovery of Novel Mycoviruses in Saccharomyces Yeasts
Pathogenic plant fungi are an ongoing threat to crop production, invoking the use of fungicides to reduce fungal disease incidence. Mycoviruses (viruses of fungi) can act as a potential biocontrol agent against pathogenic fungi by reducing fungal virulence. Saccharomyces yeasts are known to harbor mycoviruses, but few have been identified within species other than Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and their diversity is not well understood. In this project, we were able to examine the prevalence of mycoviruses of exotic Saccharomyces yeasts and determine their genome sequence. We screened 107 Saccharomyces yeasts for mycoviruses by performing double stranded RNA extractions and successfully identified 25 viruses from 5 different Saccharomyces species. Using Next Generation Sequencing, two dsRNA molecules were identified as being closely related to the previously sequenced L-A and L-BC totiviruses. This project will enable further sequencing of mycoviruses from Saccharomyces yeasts to better understand their evolutionary relationship, diversity, and host range.