Complete sequence of the genomic RNA of the prevalent strain of a potyvirus infecting maize in China

The complete nucleotide sequence of the prevalent strain of a potyvirus isolated from maize in Beijing, China was determined and compared with other closely related potyviruses. The viral genome comprises 9595 nucleotides, excluding the poly (A) tail, and encodes a putative polyprotein of 3063 amino acid residues. Sequence comparison of the coat proteins showed that this isolate was most closely related to most other potyviral isolates infecting maize across China with identities of about 99% and thus represented the prevalent strain. It was also closely related to most isolates of Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) infecting maize in Europe with maximum identity of about 95% at the amino acid level. The polyprotein sequence of the Beijing isolate shares identities of 98% with those of two other Chinese maize isolates and shares identity of 69% with Maize dwarf mosaic virus-Bulgarian isolate, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses of the sequences indicated that the Beijing isolate can be tentatively referred to as a prevalent strain of SCMV.