Beet soil-borne virus RNA 3--a further example of the heterogeneity of the gene content of furovirus genomes and of triple gene block-carrying RNAs.

The complete nucleotide sequence of RNA 3 of the Ahlum isolate of beet soil-borne virus (BSBV) was determined from cDNAs obtained with immunocaptured virus particles and denatured preparations of dsRNA. BSBV RNA 3 is unique among the plant virus RNAs studied so far in containing apparently only the coding sequences of a triple gene block (TGB). The derived amino acid sequences of the three putative TGB-encoded proteins showed the highest level of sequence similarities with those of the corresponding proteins of potato mop top furovirus (PMTV) followed by those of peanut clump furovirus and barley stripe mosaic hordeivirus. Progressively fewer similarities were found with the TGB-encoded proteins of beet necrotic yellow vein virus (uncertain classification), potato X potexvirus, and potato M carlavirus. The 3'-terminal 78 nucleotides of BSBV RNA 3 can be folded into a tRNA-like structure and a high degree of sequence similarity exists between the 122 3'-terminal nucleotides of BSBV RNA 3 and PMTV RNA 2. In other regions, however, no pronounced sequence similarities were found between the two RNAs, and PMTV RNA 2 contains an additional putative gene for a cysteine-rich protein downstream of the TGB. The two viruses are unrelated serologically. BSBV RNA 3 adds a further variant to the heterogeneity of the gene content of furovirus genomes and of triple gene block-carrying RNAs.