Molecular characterization of Lolium latent virus, proposed type member of a new genus in the family Flexiviridae.
Lolium latent virus (LoLV) was recently detected in the USA for the first time in ryegrass hybrids (Lolium perenne x Lolium multiflorum). The genome of one USA isolate, LoLV-US1, has now been fully sequenced. The positive strand genomic RNA is 7674 nucleotides (nt) long and is organized in five open reading frames (ORFs) encoding the replication-associated protein, the movement-associated triple gene block proteins and the coat protein (CP). The genome organization is similar to that of viruses in the genera Potexvirus and Foveavirus; however, analysis of the complete LoLV genomic sequence, phylogenetic analyses of the deduced amino acid (aa) sequences of the polymerase and the CP, presence of a putative ORF 6, and the in vivo detection of two CPs in equimolar amounts, highlight features peculiar to LoLV. These characteristics indicate that LoLV forms a monotypic group separate from existing genera and unassigned species within the family Flexiviridae, for which we propose the genus name Lolavirus. One-step RT-PCR was developed for quick and reliable LoLV detection.
Istituto di Virologia Vegetale, CNR, Strada delle Cacce 73, 10135 Torino, Italy.
Anna Maria
AM
Vaira
Clarissa J
CJ
Maroon-Lango
John
J
Hammond
D001483:Base Sequence; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D052677:Flexiviridae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D023061:Gene Order; D016679:Genome, Viral; D008129:Lolium / Q000821:virology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D026801:Synteny; D014481:United States
D036022:Capsid Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase