Identification of rehmannia virus 1, a novel putative memberof the genus Closterovirus, from Rehmannia glutinosa

AbstractTranscriptome sequencing analysis of a symptomatic Rehmannia glutinosa plant revealed a virome containing two knownRNA viruses and one novel virus. In this study, we examined the molecular and biological characteristics of the novel virus.The complete genome of the novel virus is composed of monopartite single-stranded RNA of 15,322 nucleotides with 69%nucleotide sequence identity (with 68% coverage) to tobacco virus 1. Its genome organization is typical of the members ofthe genus Closterovirus, containing nine putative open reading frames. Molecular and phylogenetic analyses of the genomeand encoded protein sequences strongly support that the identified virus is a new species of the genus Closterovirus in thefamily Closteroviridae. The name rehmannia virus 1 (ReV1) is proposed for this novel virus