Molecular characterization of the full-length L and M RNAs of Tomato yellow ring virus, a member of the genus Tospovirus

Tomato yellow ring virus (TYRV), first isolated from tomato in Iran, was classified as a non-approved species of the genus Tospovirus based on the characterization of its genomic S RNA. In the current study, the complete sequences of the genomic L and M RNAs of TYRV were determined and analyzed. The L RNA has 8,877 nucleotides (nt) and codes in the viral complementary (vc) strand for the putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of 2,873 amino acids (aa) (331 kDa). The RdRp of TYRV shares the highest aa sequence identity (88.7 %) with that of Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV), and contains conserved motifs shared with those of the animal-infecting bunyaviruses. The M RNA contains 4,786 nt and codes in ambisense arrangement for the NSm protein of 308 aa (34.5 kDa) in viral sense, and the Gn/Gc glycoprotein precursor (GP) of 1,310 aa (128 kDa) in vc-sense. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that TYRV is closely clustered with IYSV and Polygonum ringspot virus (PolRSV). The NSm and GP of TYRV share the highest aa sequence identity with those of IYSV and PolRSV (89.9 and 80.2-86.5 %, respectively). Moreover, the GPs of TYRV, IYSV, and PolRSV share highly similar characteristics, among which an identical deduced N-terminal protease cleavage site that is distinct from all tospoviral GPs analyzed thus far. Taken together, the elucidation of the complete genome sequence and biological features of TYRV support a close ancestral relationship with IYSV and PolRSV.