High throughput sequencing of a 42 year-old isolate of hogweed virus 4 (HV4) reveals that is a member of the genus Chordovirus

Hogweed virus 4 (HV4) was first described during a study of the apiaceous hedgerow weed Heracleum sphondylium (common name hogweed) in the late 1970s. The original isolate of this virus was retrieved from a historical virus isolate collection and the isolate was analysed using high throughput sequencing. The sequence from this isolate was revealed and compared to other publicly accessible virus sequences. HV4 appears to be a member of the genus Chordovirus, with greatest homology to Carrot chordovirus 1 with a nucleotide identity of 70.44% in the CP region and 67.14% in the RNA-dependant RNA Polymerase (RdRp) region. According to species demarcation criteria, set by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, the revealed sequence indicates that the virus is a distinct species and a fourth member of the genus Chordovirus to have the full genome reported, and a third virus from the genus which infects plants of the Apiaceae.

Automated summary

This study identified and analyzed Hogweed virus 4 (HV4). High throughput sequencing revealed that HV4 belongs to the genus Chordovirus and has the closest resemblance to Carrot chordovirus 1. According to the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, HV4 is a distinct species and the third chordovirus that infects plants of the Apiaceae.