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Watermelon crinkle leaf-associated virus 1 and watermelon crinkle leaf-associated virus 2 have a bipartite genome with molecular signatures typical of the members of the genus Coguvirus (family Phenuiviridae)

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Abstract

Watermelon crinkle leaf-associated virus 1 and watermelon crinkle leaf-associated virus 2 (WCLaV-1 and WCLaV-2), two unclassified members of the order Bunyavirales, are phylogenetically related to members of the genus Coguvirus (family Phenuiviridae). The genome of both viruses was reported previously to be composed of three RNA segments. However, the terminal sequences of two genomic RNA segments, namely those encoding the putative movement protein (MP) and the nucleocapsid (NP) protein, remained undetermined. High-throughput sequencing of total RNA and small RNA preparations, combined with reverse transcription PCR amplification followed by sequencing, revealed that the WCLaV-1 and WCLaV-2 possess a bipartite genome consisting of a negative-sense RNA1, encoding the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and an ambisense RNA2, encoding the putative movement (MP) and nucleocapsid (NP) proteins. The two open reading frames of RNA2 are in opposite orientations and are separated by a long AU-rich intergenic region (IR) that may assume a hairpin conformation. RNA1 and RNA2 of both viruses share almost identical 5’ and 3’ termini, which are complementary to each other up to 20 nt. This genome organization is typical of members of the genus Coguvirus, with which WCLaV-1 and WCLaV-2 also share similar terminal 5’ and 3’ sequences of RNA1 and RNA2. These molecular features, together with phylogenetic reconstructions support the classification of WCLaV-1 and WCLaV2 as members of two new species in the genus Coguvirus.

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Acknowledgements

We thank very much Dr. Luisa Rubino for critical reading the manuscript and helpful suggestions. This research was funded by the Intergovernmental International Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Collaboration Key Project of China’s National Key R&D Programme (NKP) (2017YFE0110900), Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (XDJK2018AA002, XDJK2020D015), Chongqing Research Program of Basic Research and Frontier Technology (cstc2017jcyjBX0016), Overseas Expertise Introduction Project for Discipline Innovation (111 Center) (B18044), the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 734736, and the 2021 Postgraduate Research and Innovation Project of Chongqing (CYB21133). This article reflects only the authors’ view, and the agency is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Citrus Engineering and Technology Research Center, Citrus Research Institute, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, 400712, China

    Song Zhang, Xin Tian & Mengji Cao

  2. Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China

    Song Zhang, Xin Tian & Mengji Cao

  3. Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 70126, Bari, Italy

    Beatriz Navarro & Francesco Di Serio

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  1. Song Zhang
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  2. Xin Tian
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  3. Beatriz Navarro
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  4. Francesco Di Serio
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  5. Mengji Cao
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Correspondence to Francesco Di Serio or Mengji Cao.

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Zhang, S., Tian, X., Navarro, B. et al. Watermelon crinkle leaf-associated virus 1 and watermelon crinkle leaf-associated virus 2 have a bipartite genome with molecular signatures typical of the members of the genus Coguvirus (family Phenuiviridae). Arch Virol 166, 2829–2834 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-021-05181-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-021-05181-0

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