Rapid Differentiation and Identification of Potential Severe Strains of Citrus tristeza virus by Real-Time Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction Assays

A multiplex Taqman-based real-time reverse transcription (RT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed to identify potential severe strains of Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) and separate genotypes that react with the monoclonal antibody MCA13. Three strain-specific probes were developed using intergene sequences between the major and minor coat protein genes (CPi) in a multiplex reaction. Probe CPi-VT3 was designed for VT and T3 genotypes; probe CPi-T36 for T36 genotypes; and probe CPi-T36-NS to identify isolates in an outgroup clade of T36-like genotypes mild in California. Total nucleic acids extracted by chromatography on silica particles, sodium dodecyl sulfate-potassium acetate, and CTV virion immunocapture all yielded high quality templates for real-time PCR detection of CTV. These assays successfully differentiated CTV isolates from California, Florida, and a large panel of CTV isolates from an international collection maintained in Beltsville, MD. The utility of the assay was validated using field isolates collected in California and Florida.