Complete genome sequence of a divergent strain of Japanese yam mosaic virus from China

A novel strain of Japanese yam mosaic virus (JYMV-CN) was identified in a yam plant with foliar mottle symptoms in China. The complete genomic sequence of JYMV-CN was determined. Its genomic sequence of 9701 nucleotides encodes a polyprotein of 3247 amino acids. Its organization is virtually identical to that of two JYMV isolates from Japan. With the latter, it shares nucleotide sequence identities of only 74.7–74.8 %, indicating it might be a member of a new species. However, sequence analysis of the polyprotein and individual proteins suggested that the Chinese isolate is a divergent JYMV strain in the process of speciation.