Partial nucleotide sequence of poplar mosaic virus RNA confirms its classification as a carlavirus

The nucleotide sequence of the 3'-proximal 1328 nucleotides of poplar mosaic virus (PMV) was determined and shown to contain two large open reading frames (ORFs). The ORF nearer to the 3' terminus of the RNA is capable of encoding a polypeptide of 14K with a zinc-finger motif, and is homologous to sequences in corresponding positions in five other carlaviruses. The other ORF encodes a protein of 36K which includes two sequences of amino acids identified in tryptic digests as virion capsid protein, and has amino acid sequences in common with both carlaviruses and potexviruses.

^† Present address: Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, U.K.