Mining of the water hyssop (Bacopa monnieri) transcriptome reveals genome sequences of two putative novel rhabdoviruses and a solendovirus

Arch Virol. 2021 Jul;166(7):1985-1990. doi: 10.1007/s00705-021-05061-7. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Abstract

The genomes of three putative novel viruses, tentatively named "Bacopa monnieri virus 1" (BmV1), "Bacopa monnieri virus 2" (BmV2), and "Bacopa monnieri virus 3" (BmV3) were identified in the transcriptome dataset of a medicinally important herb - water hyssop (Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst.). The BmV1 and BmV2 genomes resemble those of plant rhabdoviruses. The 13.3-kb-long BmV1 genome contains eight antisense ORFs in the order 3' l-N-P2'-P-P3-M-G-P6-L-t 5', with P2' ORF overlapping with P, while the 13.2-kb BmV2 genome contains six interspersed ORFs in the antisense orientation (3' l-N-P-P3-M-G-L-t 5'). The 8-kb BmV3 genome possesses five overlapping ORFs, with ORFs 2 to 5 being similar to those of solendoviruses. Based on genome organization, sequence similarity, and phylogeny, BmV1, BmV2, and BmV3 can be regarded as new members of the genera Cytorhabdovirus, Betanucleorhabdovirus, and Solendovirus, respectively.

MeSH terms

  • Bacopa / genetics*
  • Bacopa / virology*
  • Caulimoviridae / genetics*
  • Genome, Viral / genetics*
  • Open Reading Frames / genetics
  • Phylogeny
  • Plants, Medicinal / genetics
  • Rhabdoviridae / genetics*
  • Transcriptome / genetics*