Characterization of the full-length genomic sequences of vesicular stomatitis Cocal and Alagoas viruses

In Brazil and Argentina, vesicular stomatitis (VS) is caused by distinct viral strains serologically related to the classical vesicular stomatitis virus Indiana (VSIV), namely VS Indiana-2 (VSIV-2) and VS Indiana-3 (VSIV-3). Here we describe the full-length genomic sequences and organization of the prototype strains of VSIV-2 Cocal virus (COCV) and VSIV-3 Alagoas virus (VSAV). These viruses showed similar genomic organizations to VSIV field isolates except that the non-structural C′/C proteins, markedly conserved throughout the vesiculoviruses, were absent in VSAV. Phylogenetic analyses consistently grouped COCV, VSAV and VSIV in a monophyletic group distinct from VSNJV, supporting the classification of these viruses within the Indiana serogroup.