Identification of internal poly(A) tracts (IPATs) of variable lengths in a novel tobacco rattle virus RNA2 in potatoes

The nucleotide (nt) sequences of two closely related isolates (CeWF-2 and CeWGH-2) of a novel tobacco rattle virus (TRV) RNA2 were determined. The sequences of their RNA2-specific regions were almost identical and contained four open reading frames (ORFs) in an arrangement similar to that found in the previously described TRV TpO1 RNA2. Their predicted ORF 1 gene products shared 97 % amino acid sequence identity with the TpO1 coat protein, but the ORF 2 and ORF 3 gene products shared only 82 % sequence identity, and no appreciable sequence similarity was found between the CeWF-2/CeWGH-2 and TpO1 ORF 4 gene products. In the CeWGH-2 sequence, the RNA2-specific and RNA1-related regions were separated by seven adenine (A) residues. In CeWF-2, however, an internal poly(A) tract (IPAT) of variable size consisting of ca. 20 to 30 (A) residues was found. This is the first report of an IPAT occurring in a tobravirus RNA2.