SOYBEAN DWARF LUTEOVIRUS CONTAINS THE 3RD VARIANT GENOME TYPE IN THE LUTEOVIRUS GROUP

Complementary DNAs covering the entire RNA genome of soybean dwarf luteovirus (SDV) were cloned and sequenced. Computer analysis of the 5861 nucleotide sequence revealed five major open reading frames (ORFs) possessing conservation of sequence and organisation with known luteovirus sequences. Comparative analyses of the genome structure show that SDV shares sequence homology and features of gene organisation with barley yellow dwarf virus (PAV isolate) in the 5′ half of the genome, yet is more closely related to potato leafroll virus in its 3′ coding regions. In addition, SDV differs from other known luteoviruses in possessing an exceptionally long 3′ terminal sequence with no apparent coding capacity. We conclude from these data that the SDV genome represents a third variant genome type in the luteovirus group. © 1994 Academic Press. All rights reserved.