NUCLEOTIDE-SEQUENCE ANALYSES OF PEANUT STUNT CUCUMOVIRUS RNAS-1 AND RNAS-2

The nucleotide sequences of the RNAs 1 and 2 of the Peanut stunt virus strain J (PSV-J) were determined and compared with those of the cucumber mosaic virus strain Y (CMV-Y, subgroup I), strain Q (CMV-Q, subgroup II) and the tomato aspermy virus strain V (TAV-V) at both the nucleotide and protein levels. RNA 1 of PSV-J consists of 3355 nucleotides (nt) and has one large open reading frame (ORF) which can encode the putative 1a protein of M(r) 112025. PSV-J RNA 1 and the 1a protein are 65 to 73% identical to those of CMV-Y and -Q, and 65 to 69% to those of TAV-V. RNA 2 of PSV-J contains 2946 nt and also has one large ORF which can encode the putative 2a protein of M(r) 93575. For RNA 2 and the 2a protein. identities between PSV-J and two strains of CMV are calculated to be 53 to 61%. When compared with TAV-V, the same degree of similarity as seen with CMVs is observed. The 1a protein has the consensus sequences found in some helicases and methyltransferases and the 2a protein includes a sequence which exists in several RNA-dependent RNA polymerases.