Complete genome sequence of a subgenotype XXI.1.1 pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 virus (PPMV-1) isolated from Iran in 2018 and phylogenetic analysis of a possible novel, but unassigned, PPMV-1 group isolated in 2014

Newcastle disease (ND) is one of the most serious infectious and contagious viral diseases in avian species. Recently, several ND outbreaks in pigeon caused by pigeon paramyxovirus serotype-1 (PPMV-1) have been reported from Iran, but unfortunately, phylogenetic studies have been mostly conducted on partial sequence of NDV fusion (F) gene. In addition, a complete genome data of Iranian PPMV-1 strains are not available. In the present study, a PPMV-1, named Avian avulavirus 1/pigeon/Iran/UT-EGV/2018, isolated from an infected pigeon, was subjected to whole-genome sequencing. The isolate showed an MDT of 74 h, thus categorizing it as mesogenic. The phylogenetic analysis based on the F gene sequence revealed the isolate belongs to XXI.1.1 subgenotype (min 0.9 % and max 3 %). To our knowledge, our study is the first study to publish the complete genome of a PPMV-1 from Iran. According to BLAST results, the whole genome of UT-EGV had high homology with some Russian, Egyptian and Ukrainian strains (the highest was 96.55 %). Additionally, we conducted a phylogenetic analysis on five PPMV-1 that we isolated in 2014 to find that they may belong to a completely unreported subgenotype (6 % distance when compared as a group). The information obtained from this study can be useful in preventive measures, including constructing an effective vaccine against PPMV-1 in Iran.