Phylogenetic Analysis of Ukrainian Isolates of RNA Viruses of Plants

The availability of analytical approaches allowing fast deciphering of nucleotide sequences enables phylogenetic analysis of viruses and establishing homology among their strains/isolates for unveiling the history of virus evolution. This work was focused on phylogenetic analysis of the most important viruses infecting vegetable crops in Ukraine. ‘Field' isolates of different plant RNA viruses were collected and analyzed from various agroecosystems. These included Potato virus Y (PVY), Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Watermelon mosaic virus 2 (WMV-2), Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV), Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV). Using MEGA6 software, phylogenetic trees were constructed, based on sequenced viral cDNAs corresponding to parts of the coat protein genes of the studied pathogens. Differing evolutionary trajectories were shown for some of the Ukrainian virus isolates. The study of the molecular properties of viruses, and especially those of viral genomes, has fundamental importance (tracing phylogenetic relationships of a given virus with other members of the kingdom, its evolutionary history and trends), and is also of practical significance, as such data may further be used both for developing highly specific PCR-based diagnostic techniques as well as for forecasting possible alterations and novel properties of circulating viruses for prevention of disease spread and minimizing the aggressiveness of viruses.