Cytopathology, biology and molecular characterization of two Italian isolates of Malva vein clearing virus

Two Italian isolates of Malva vein clearing virus (MVCV), naturally infecting Malva sylvestris (common mallow) plants, were characterized at biological,cytopathological and molecular level. Experimentalhost range was comparable for both isolates and in agreement with those reported for other MVCV isolates. Cytopathology observed indicated type I of cylindrical inclusions caused by both isolates in common mallow. The 3' genome extremity of about 1800 nucleotides was sequenced for both isolates. It comprised of the 3' end of the NIb gene, the entire putative ORF of the coat protein (CP) and the 3' non-translated region of genome. Phylogenetic analysis based on CP gene did not shown any statistically significant grouping among ten different MVCV isolates, suggesting low level of variability among the MVCV isolates genetically characterized until now.