Characterization of the complete genome of ribgrass mosaic virus isolated from Plantago major L. from New Zealand and Actinidia spp. from China

The complete genomes of tobamovirus isolates from Plantago major L. from New Zealand (NZ-439), Plantago sp. from Germany (Kons 1105), Actinidia chinensis (Actinidia-AC) and A. deliciosa (Actinidia-AD) from China were sequenced and compared to previously published tobamovirus genomes. Their genome organization and phylogenetic analysis of the putative replicase component, replicase readthrough component, movement protein, coat protein and complete genome placed all four isolates in subgroup 3 of the tobamoviruses. The complete genomes differed from each other by <8.5% and from published sequences of turnip vein clearing virus and youcai mosaic virus by about 12-13% and 19-20%, respectively. The aa sequences of the individual ORFs of the Plantago and Actinidia isolates differed from each other by <4% and were most similar to published (partial) sequences of ribgrass mosaic virus (RMV). We propose that these sequences constitute the first complete published sequences for RMV.