Studies of base-sequence homology among some cytoplasmic deoxyriboviruses of vertebrate and invertebrate animals.

Relationships among some cytoplasmic deoxyriboviruses were investigated by deoxyribonucleic acid/ribonucleic acid hybridization experiments. Evidence of base-sequence homology between nucleic acids of different viruses was found within, but not between, the poxvirus and iridescent virus groups. Viruses of the vaccinia subgroup of poxviruses were 30 to 100% related, and the degree of relatedness was correlated with serological relatedness. Relationships within the iridescent virus group depended on the laboratory of origin and passage history of the virus strains used. None of these viruses was related to a superficially similar virus of frogs.