Identification and characterization of a novel rhabdovirus infecting peach in China

Abstract A novel negative-sense, single-stranded (ss) RNA virus was identified in peach trees by high-throughput sequencing, and named peach virus 1 (PeV1). The genome of PeV1 consists of 13,949 nucleotides (nt), and its organization is typical of rhabdoviruses with six open reading frames (ORFs) encoding deduced proteins N-P-P3-M-G-L on the antisense strand. These ORFs are separated by highly conserved intergenic sequences and flanked by complementary 3’-leader and 5’-trailer sequences. PeV1 shared highest complete genome (41.9%), N amino acid (43.6%), G amino acid (41.0%), and L amino acid (42.7%) identities with viruses which belong to the genus Alphanucleorhabdovirus, suggesting it may belong to a new species. This was further supported by phylogenetic analyses using amino acid sequences of N, G, and L proteins, in which this virus is always clustered with alphanucleorhabdoviruses. Collectively, results suggest that PeV1 is a member of a new alphanucleorhabdovirus species. Moreover, bioassays revealed that it could be transmitted through grafting. The findings expand our knowledge of peach-infecting viruses and alphanucleorhabdoviruses.