SEQUENCE OF THE PV2 GENE OF RICE HOJA BLANCA TENUIVIRUS RNA-2

Comparison of a partial sequence of rice hoja blanca tenuivirus RNA-2 with 40% similarity to rice stripe tenuivirus RNA-2 revealed regions o f high local sequence homology at the 5' terminus, within the coding r egion (the pv2 gene), and in the intergenic region separating this gen e from the other protein (pc2) encoded by this ambisense RNA. Analysis of the conserved regions of the pv2 protein identified two motifs fou nd principally in viral membrane glycoproteins and six motifs found ea ch in a wide variety of proteins. The possible significance of these r esults is discussed.