Complete nucleotide sequence of wound tumor virus genomic segments encoding nonstructural polypeptides.

Sequence analysis of the genomic segments which encode the five wound tumor virus nonstructural polypeptides has been completed. The complete nucleotide sequence of segments S4 (2565 bp), S6 (1700 bp), S9 (1182 bp), and S10 (1172 bp) are presented in this report while the sequence of segment S12 (851 bp) has been described previously (T. Asamizu, D. Summers, M. B. Motika, J. V. Anzola, and D. L. Nuss, 1985, Virology 144, 398-409). Comparison of the only published sequence for another member of the genus Phytoreovirus, that of rice dwarf virus segment S10, with the combined available wound tumor virus sequence data revealed similarity with WTV segment S10: 54.9 and 30.6% at the nucleotide and amino acid level, respectively. Although wound tumor virus and rice dwarf virus differ in plant host range, tissue specificity, vector range, and disease symptom expression, the level of sequence similarity shared by the two segments suggests a common origin for these viruses. The potential use of a phytoreovirus sequence database for predicting functions of viral encoded gene products is considered.