THE S RNA GENOMIC SEQUENCES OF INKOO, SAN-ANGELO, SERRA-DO-NAVIO, SOUTH RIVER AND TAHYNA BUNYAVIRUSES

The complete nucleotide sequences of the small (S) genomic RNA segment s of five California (CAL) serogroup bunyaviruses (two Inkoo virus str ains, San Angelo virus, Serra do Navio virus, South River virus and Ta hyna virus) were determined. In agreement with previously published da ta concerning CAL serogroup viruses, the nucleocapsid (N) and non-stru ctural (NSs) proteins were encoded in overlapping open reading frames (ORFs). All N protein ORFs were 708 nucleotides in length and encoded a 235 amino-acid gene product. The NSs ORFs were either 279 or 294 nuc leotides in length, which would encode 92 or 97 amino-acid proteins, r espectively, Comparative analysis of the nucleotide sequences and amin o acids corresponding to the nucleocapsid protein resulted in a predic ted relationship among these viruses that generally agreed with those determined by serology. The only exception was Inkoo virus, where comp arisons based on the S RNA sequence and partial M RNA sequence suggest that this virus is more similar to Jamestown Canyon virus of the Mela o complex than it is to viruses such as Tahyna and La Crosse viruses o f the California encephalitis complex.