Molecular Characterization of a New Sap-Transmissible Bipartite Genome Geminivirus Infecting Tomatoes in Mexico

A bipartite genome geminivirus infecting tomatoes in northwestern Mexico was sap transmitted to tomato, Nicotiana benthamiana, and common bean and induced leaf crumpling, epinasty, and mottling. Geminivirus DNA-A and DNA-B components were each cloned from infected N. benthamiana and bean leaves. The N. benthamiana DNA- A and DNA-B components were infectious but induced only mild symptoms in N. benthamiana plants. The reduction in symptom severity was not the result of impaired replication of either component but was associated with the DNA-B component. in contrast, the bean DNA-A and DNA-B components were highly infectious and induced disease symptoms in N. benthamiana, bean, and tomato plants indistinguishable from those induced by the sap-transmissible geminivirus