Characterization of Celery Mosaic Virus from Celery in Tehran Province

Background and Aims: Celery mosaic virus (CeMV) is one of the causal agents of viral diseases in celery (Apium graveolens). CeMV is a member of the Potyvirus genus in Potyviridae family. The virus is naturally transmitted by aphids in a non-persistent manner. During growing season 2006-2007 viral disease symptoms were observed in celery fields grown in Tehran Province (Bage daneshkade, Mohamadshahr, Varamin, Asgarabad, Hesarak and Savojbolagh) and suspected CeMV infected plants were sampled. Methods: Serological assays with specific antisera against CeMV and other potyviruses revealed that 5.42% of the samples were infected with CeMV in Tehran province. Biologically purified CeMV isolate was mechanically inoculated on test plants for host range studies. Results: The virus caused chlorotic local lesions on Chenopodium quinoa and C. amaranticolor. It also produced mosaic, vein clearing and leaf deformations symptoms on Apium graveolens. Molecular mass of CeMV coat protein was estimated about 38.36 kDa using SDS-PAGE and was approved by western blotting using CeMV specific polyclonal antibody. A DNA fragment of about 650bp was amplified by RT-PCR using CeMV infected crude RNA and universal primer pair for potyviruses coat protein genome. Conclusion: This is the first study on this virus in Iran (Tehran Province).