Sequence and phylogenetic analysis of M-class genome segments of novel duck reovirus NP03.

We report the sequence and phylogenetic analysis of the entire M1, M2, and M3 genome segments of the novel duck reovirus (NDRV) NP03. Alignment between the newly determined nucleotide sequences as well as their deduced amino acid sequences and the published sequences of avian reovirus (ARV) was carried out with DNASTAR software. Sequence comparison showed that the M2 gene had the most variability among the M-class genes of DRV. Phylogenetic analysis of the M-class genes of ARV strains revealed different lineages and clusters within DRVs. The 5 NDRV strains used in this study fall into a well-supported lineage that includes chicken ARV strains, whereas Muscovy DRV (MDRV) strains are separate from NDRV strains and form a distinct genetic lineage in the M2 gene tree. However, the MDRV and NDRV strains are closely related and located in a common lineage in the M1 and M3 gene trees, respectively.