COAT PROTEIN GENE SEQUENCE OF AN AUSTRIAN ISOLATE OF GRAPEVINE FANLEAF VIRUS

The nucleotide sequence of the coat protein cistron of an Austrian iso late of grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV-FC) from Vitis vinifera cv. Fren ch Colombard was determined. It shows small differences at the RNA lev el as well as at the protein level compared to the sequences of alread y published grapevine fanleaf virus strains. The differences may be a result of the natural variation among virus populations or a consequen ce of selection in a special host plant. As the virus RNA sequence rep orted here was isolated directly from its natural woody host by an imm unocapture-PCR technique, passage of the virus through a herbaceous ho st could be avoided and a possible bias introduced by a different host environment was excluded. The sequence similarity of known GFLV coat protein cistrons to the sequence described is as high as among the oth er strains.