Complete genome sequence of an isolate of a novel genotype of yellow head virus from Fenneropenaeus chinensis indigenous in China

Genotype 8 of yellow head virus (YHV-8) was identified recently, but the complete genome sequence of this new genotype has not been reported. In this study, the complete genome of YHV-8 isolate 20120706 collected from Hebei Province of China in 2012 was sequenced. It was found to be 26,769 nucleotides (nt) in length, including a 20,060-nt open reading frame 1 (ORF1), a 435-nt ORF2, and a 4971-nt ORF3. Isolate 20120706 shared 79.7-83.9% nucleotide sequence identity with all seven of the complete genome sequences of YHV that have been reported so far. The topology of a phylogenetic tree constructed based on the ORF1b region clearly showed that strain 20120706, together with five other YHV-8 strains isolated in China, represents a new genotype of YHV. This is the first report of the complete genome sequence of a YHV-8 isolate, and the 20120706 isolate will be useful for further analysis of the epidemiology and evolution of YHV-8.