Complete sequence of the genome of two dsRNA viruses from Discula destructiva

Complete nucleotide sequences were determined for the four dsRNA segments present in isolate 247 of Discula destructiva from South Carolina. The largest dsRNA (dsRNA 1) was 1787 bp in length with a single open reading frame (ORF) that coded for a putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). The dsRNA 2 was 1585 bp in length with a single ORF that coded for a putative viral coat protein. Both the dsRNA 3 (1178 bp in length) and dsRNA 4 (308 bp) contained single ORFs. However, neither the nucleotide sequence nor the sequence of the putative translation products, showed any similarity with sequences currently available from GenBank. Although distinct, all 4 dsRNAs showed conserved nucleotides at both the 5' and 3' termini. Sequences of the two dsRNAs in an isolate of D. destructiva (331 originating from Idaho) were similar in length to, and shared similarity with, the dsRNA 1 and dsRNA 2 of isolate 247. However, although the putative RdRps of isolates 247 and 331 are closely related, the putative viral coat proteins coded for by the respective dsRNA 2s are distinct. Thus, the dsRNAs in the two fungal isolates appeared to originate from distinct, but related viruses, which we have named D. destructiva virus 1 and D. destructiva virus 2, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the two viruses were most closely related to Fusarium solani virus 1 and should be considered members of the genus Partitivirus. Another isolate of D. destructiva (272.1) contains a 12 kb dsRNA in addition to the 4 dsRNAs found in isolate 247. Partial sequence of this 12 kb molecule showed a relationship to other large dsRNA molecules isolated from plants. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.