Complete genome sequence of two isolates of pokeweed mosaic virus and its relationship to other members of the genus Potyvirus

The complete genomic sequences of two isolates of pokeweed mosaic virus (PkMV) were determined to be 9512 nucleotides long, excluding the poly(A) tail. Their genomic organization is typical of potyviruses and contains conserved motifs found in members of the genus Potyvirus. Pairwise comparisons showed that PkMV and other members of the genus Potyvirus share 51.0-57.5 % sequence identity at the genome sequence level and 39.8-53.0 % at the polyprotein sequence level. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that PkMV is most closely related to several viruses in the PVY group of the genus Potyvirus. The genomic information obtained for PkMV suggests that this virus is a distinct potyvirus.