Complete nucleotide sequence of four RNA segments of fig mosaic virus.

The complete sequence of four viral RNA segments of fig mosaic virus (FMV) was determined. Each of the four RNAs comprises a single open reading frame (ORF) 7,093, 2,252, 1,490 and 1,472 nucleotides in size, respectively. These ORFs encode the following proteins in the order: RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (p1 264 kDa), a putative glycoprotein (p2 73 kDa), a putative nucleocapsid protein (p3 35 kDa) and a protein with unknown function (p4 40.5 kDa). All RNA segments possess untranslated regions containing at the 5' and 3' termini a 13-nt complementary sequence. A conserved motif denoted premotif A was found to be present in addition to the five RdRp motifs A-F in RNA-1. In phylogenetic trees constructed with the amino acid sequences of RNA-1 and RNA-2, FMV clustered consistently with European mountain ash ringspot-associated virus (EMARaV) in a clade close to those comprising members of the genera Hantavirus, Orthobunyavirus and Tospovirus. The amino acid sequence of the putative FMV nucleocapsid protein encoded by RNA-3 shared identity with comparable sequences of EMARaV and the unclassified viruses pigeonpea sterility mosaic virus (PPSMV) and maize red stripe virus (MRSV). The nucleocapsid sequences rooted the four viruses in a clade close to the genus Tospovirus. Based on molecular, morphological and epidemiological features, FMV appears to be very closely related to PPSMV and MRSV. All these viruses are phylogenetically related to EMARaV and therefore seem to be eligible for classification in the proposed genus Emaravirus, which, in turn, may find a taxonomic allocation in the family Bunyaviridae.