Genomic evidence that simian virus 2 and six other simian picornaviruses represent a new genus in Picornaviridae.

Analysis of the VP1 capsid protein coding region of simian virus (SV) 2, SV16, SV18, SV42, SV44, SV45, and SV49 demonstrates that they are clearly distinct from members of the Enterovirus genus and from members of other existing picornavirus genera. To further characterize this group of viruses and to clarify their classification within the Picornaviridae, we have determined the complete genomic sequence of SV2 (8126 nucleotides). The genome was typical of members of Picornaviridae, encoding a single open reading frame. The putative polyprotein contained typical picornavirus protease cleavage sites, yielding mature proteins homologous to each of the known picornavirus proteins. SV2 contained an amino-terminal extension of the reading frame, which was analogous to the leader protein of members of the Aphthovirus, Cardiovirus, Erbovirus, Kobuvirus, and Teschovirus genera, but there was no significant amino acid homology with any of these known leader proteins. The 2A protein also aligned poorly with the 2A proteins of other picornaviruses. The deduced amino acid sequences of the SV2 structural and nonstructural proteins were related to but phylogenetically distinct from those of enteroviruses and human rhinoviruses. The major distinguishing features of SV2 were the presence of a type 2 internal ribosome entry site in the 5'-NTR, a putative leader protein encoded upstream of the structural proteins, and an unusually large 2A protein. On the basis of the molecular analysis, we propose that SV2, SV16, SV18, SV42, SV44, SV45, SV49, and porcine enterovirus 8 be classified as members of a new genus in Picornaviridae and that SV2 (strain 2383) be designated as the type strain.