Characterization of a putative novel higrevirus infecting Phellodendron amurense Rupr. in China

Phellodendron-associated higre-like virus (PaHLV) was identified in Phellodendron amurense Rupr. in China. Three near-full-length sequences of the viral genomic RNAs (RNA1–RNA3) were first obtained by RNA-seq, and their complete sequences were then determined by RT-PCR, 5′-RACE, and 3′-RACE. RNA1–3 of PaHLV were determined to be 8,183, 3,062, and 3,998 nucleotides (nt) in length, respectively, excluding the poly(A) tail. All of the viral proteins encoded by PaHLV shared the highest amino acid sequence identity (44.8–78.1%) with the unclassified kitavirid pistachio virus X (PiVX, MT334618–MT334620) from Iranian pistachio. Sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analysis also showed PiVX to be the closest relative of PaHLV and supported their inclusion in the genus Higrevirus, family Kitaviridae. Thus, PaHLV is proposed to be a member of a new species in this genus, for which we suggest the binomial name "Higrevirus amur".