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A combination of electron microscopy and genome sequencing is highly efficient in screening for latent virus infections independent of the virus morphology or genome. One example is hoya tobamovirus-2 (HoTV-2 genbank accession number: MT750216.1) that has been reported from symptomatic mixed infected samples in 2011 and also as single, asymptomatic, infection in several Hoya species in Germany. The virus induces no symptoms in experimental host plants including Chenopodium quinoa, N. tabacum 'Xanthi nc', N. benthamiana and N. tabacum 'Samsun nn'. 14 days post inoculation, plant sap homogenates were examined using negative staining. Rod shaped virions of 300nm length were detected in newly developing leaves, confirming systemic infection. The virions' morphology and size indicated presence of a tobamovirus. The virus titer was lower when compared to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) infected plants. For virus species identification, RNA sequencing data were scanned for virus specific sequences. The assembled virus genome could be assigned to the genus Tobamovirus. Phylogenetic analysis showed it is closely related to Youcai mosaic virus (YoMV). Therefore, polyclonal antisera for YoMV (DSMZ number AS-0527) was used in immuno-electron microscopy. The heterologous antiserum reacted with HoTV-2, while other tobamovirus antisera used in routine tobamovirus detection did not. The binding of antibodies along the virion was irregular when compared to TMV and its homologous antisera. Mixed infected Hoya plants and HoTV-2 infected N. benthamiana leaves were embedded to study the ultrastructure of infected plants displaying latency linking in situ HoTV-2 structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information related to European Virus Archive (EVA) was created in 2008 in response to the need for a coordinated and readily accessible collection of human and animal viruses that could be made available to academia, public health organizations and industry. It report that EVA-GLOBAL collaborated with 38 academic institutions at the forefront of human, animal and plant research in Virology, associated with key Non- Governmental Organizations.

The article presents a study on exploration of the small RNA landscape in Petunia hybrida infected with latent viruses and a pospiviroid using high throughput sequencing. It reports the study will help to contribute to the knowledge of the collection of vsiRNAs for better reconstruction of the virome, shade light on the mechanism of vsiRNA action on host mRNA, contribute to the understanding of benefits for the host during symbiosis.

The article offers information related to The Pan-African Virology Conference, which is scheduled from March 25-27, 2020, in Ghana's capital city, Accra and the mention the conference will bring together African virologists all over the world who are researching into various aspects of virology.