title: Molecular characterization of HetRV8-ir1, a partitivirus of the invasive conifer pathogenic fungus Heterobasidion irregulare.
abstract: The Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref. complex includes some of the most destructive conifer pathogenic fungi in the Boreal forest region. H. irregulare, formerly known as the North American pine type of H. annosum, was introduced from North America into Italy during the Second World War and occurs as an invasive pathogen in Pinus pinea stands together with the native European species H. annosum sensu stricto. We describe the complete nucleotide sequence of a new putative partitivirus from an Italian strain of H. irregulare. The bisegmented genome of HetRV8-ir1 encodes an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of 704 aa and a capsid protein of 638 aa. The polymerase and capsid aa sequences are relatively similar (59-78 %) to those of Fusarium poae virus 1, Pleurotus ostreatus virus 1, and grapevine-associated partitivirus 1. HetRV8-ir1 is the first virus described from H. irregulare, and it is distantly related to previously known partitiviruses of Heterobasidion species.
authors: Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa Research Unit, Vantaa, Finland. eeva.vainio@metla.fi
authors: Eeva J
authors: EJ
authors: Vainio
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Capretti
authors: Emma
authors: E
authors: Motta
authors: Jarkko
authors: J
authors: Hantula
mesh_terms: D001487:Basidiomycota / Q000821:virology*; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D016679:Genome, Viral; D007558:Italy; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D012328:RNA Viruses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase