title: Variability of geographically distinct isolates of maize rayado fino virus in Latin America.
abstract: We have examined the molecular epidemiology of the leafhopper-borne maize rayado fino virus (MRFV) in Latin America. The coat protein gene and 3' non-translated region of 14 isolates of MRFV collected from Latin America and the United States were sequenced and phylogenetic relationships examined. The nucleotide sequence revealed remarkable conservation, with a sequence similarity of 88-99%. Phylogenetic analysis of sequence data obtained from a 633 bp fragment showed that MRFV has diverged into three main clusters, i.e. the geographically distinct northern and southern isolates and the Colombian isolates. Significant differences between the isolates collected from Colombia, previously named maize rayado colombiana virus, based upon differences in symptomatology and serological relationships to MRFV, and the other MRFV isolates, provides additional evidence supporting its designation as a unique strain of MRFV.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland 20705, USA. rhammond@asrr.arsusda.gov
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Hammond
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kogel
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ramirez
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016679:Genome, Viral; D007843:Latin America; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010942:Plant Viruses / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D003313:Zea mays / Q000821:virology*