Complete nucleotide sequence of alfalfa mosaic virus RNA 2.

Double-stranded cDNA of in vitro polyadenylated alfalfa mosaic virus (AlMV) RNA 2 has been cloned and sequenced. The use of an oligodeoxyribonucleotide corresponding to the known sequence of the 5'-end of RNA 2 to prime second-strand DNA synthesis, enabled us to construct the complete primary structure of AlMV RNA 2. The sequence of 2,593 nucleotides contains a long open reading frame for a protein of Mr 89,753 starting at the first AUG codon from the 5'-end. This coding region is flanked by a 5'-terminal sequence of 54 nucleotides and a 3'-noncoding region of 166 nucleotides which includes the sequence of 145 nucleotides the three genomic RNAs of AlMV have in common.