Evidence for a segmented genome and partial nucleotide sequences of maize yellow stripe virus, a proposed new tenuivirus

Attempts at molecular characterization of a maize yellow stripe virus (MYSV) isolate from Egypt revealed that it has a tenuivirus-like segmented genome consisting of five RNA segments (>9.5, 2.4, 2.1, 1.6 and 1.6 kb). Whereas the complete sequence of RNA-5 consists of 1562 nts, only 1152, 1085, 1213, and 808 nts of RNA-1, -2, -3, and -4, respectively, were determined from the MYSV genome, estimated to be 18 kb. Four of the MYSV segments had complementary and conserved 5' and 3' termini similar to those of tenuiviruses and phleboviruses. No cross hybridization was observed between MYSV and maize stripe virus (MSpV), a definite member of the genus Tenuivirus. Also, no nucleotide or peptide sequence similarities were detected between the five sequenced stretches of the MYSV genome and any virus sequences, including those of tenuiviruses, available in the databases.