Molecular characterization of banana streak acuminata Vietnam virus isolated from Musa acuminata siamea (banana cultivar)

An isolate of banana streak virus (BSV) that does not also occur as an integrant in the Musa balbisiana genome was sought in order to investigate the biological role of BSV in the evolution of either the Musa genome or of the virus itself. We isolated BSV virions from a Musa acuminata siamea accession from Vietnam and sequenced the entire viral genome. The molecular organization is similar to that described for other BSV but slightly larger (7801 bp vs. 1611-7568 bp), and ORF I has a non-conventional start codon. This genome was sufficiently different to propose it as a member of a distinct species named Banana streak virus strain acuminata Vietnam (BSAcVNV).