LAUSR

Maize Iranian mosaic virus (MIMV) is a negative-sense single-stranded RNA virus that is classified in the genus Nucleorhabdovirus, family Rhabdoviridae. The MIMV genome contains six open reading frames (ORFs) that encode in 3΄ to 5΄ order the nucleocapsid protein (N), phosphoprotein (P), putative movement protein (P3), matrix protein (M), glycoprotein (G) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (L). In this study, we determined the first complete genome sequence of MIMV using Illumina RNA-Seq and 3′/5′ RACE. MIMV genome (‘Fars’ isolate) is 12,426 nucleotides in length. Unexpectedly, the predicted N gene ORF of this isolate and of four other Iranian isolates is 143 nucleotides shorter than that of the MIMV coding-complete reference isolate ‘Shiraz 1’ (Genbank NC_011542), possibly due to a minor error in the previous sequence. Genetic variability among the N, P, P3 and G ORFs of Iranian MIMV isolates was limited, but highest in the G gene ORF. Phylogenetic analysis of complete nucleorhabdovirus genomes demonstrated a close evolutionary relationship between MIMV, maize mosaic virus and taro vein chlorosis virus.