title: Identification of a novel mycovirus isolated from Rhizoctonia solani (AG 2-2 IV) provides further information about genome plasticity within the order Tymovirales.
abstract: The complete genome of a novel mycovirus, named Rhizoctonia solani flexivirus 1 (RsFV-1), which infects an avirulent strain of Rhizoctonia solani AG 2-2 IV, was sequenced and analyzed. Its RNA genome consists of 10,621 nucleotides, excluding the poly-A tail, and encodes a single protein of 3477 amino acids. The identification of conserved motifs of methyltransferase, helicase and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase revealed its relatedness to members of the alphavirus-like superfamily of positive-strand RNA viruses. Phylogenetic analysis of these fused domains suggested that this virus should be assigned to the order Tymovirales. The recently described Fusarium graminearum deltaflexivirus 1 was found to be its closest relative. However, the whole genome, as well as the encoded protein of RsFV-1, is larger than that of other known members of the order Tymovirales, and unlike all other viruses belonging to this order, its methyltransferase domain is not located at the N-terminus of the replicase. Although genome diversity, as a result of recombination and gene loss, is a well-documented trait in members of the order Tymovirales, no related virus with a comparable genome alteration has been reported before. For these reasons, RsFV-1 broadens our perception about genome plasticity and diversity within the order Tymovirales.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sugar Beet Research, D-37079, Göttingen, Germany. bartholomaeus@ifz-goettingen.de.
authors.forename: Anika
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0600-1357
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bartholomäus
authors.affiliation: Institute for Genome Research and Systems Biology, CeBiTec, Bielefeld University, D-33501, Bielefeld, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wibberg
authors.affiliation: Institute for Genome Research and Systems Biology, CeBiTec, Bielefeld University, D-33501, Bielefeld, Germany.
authors.forename: Anika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Winkler
authors.affiliation: Institute for Genome Research and Systems Biology, CeBiTec, Bielefeld University, D-33501, Bielefeld, Germany.
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pühler
authors.affiliation: Institute for Genome Research and Systems Biology, CeBiTec, Bielefeld University, D-33501, Bielefeld, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schlüter
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sugar Beet Research, D-37079, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varrelmann
mesh_terms: D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D000067148:Fungal Viruses / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016679:Genome, Viral; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D020365:RNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics; D012232:Rhizoctonia / Q000821:virology*; D046830:Tymoviridae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; D008780:Methyltransferases; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase; D020365:RNA Helicases