NUCLEOTIDE-SEQUENCE OF THE 2 MATRIX PROTEIN GENES (M1 AND M2) OF HIRAME RHABDOVIRUS (HRV), A FISH RHABDOVIRUS

We have cloned and sequenced the M1 and M2 protein genes of hirame rha bdovirus (HRV). The M1 protein gene was 684 nucleotides long, encoding 227 amino acids. Sequence comparisons between the M1 protein genes of HRV and infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) or viral hemor rhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) revealed similarities of 65.1 and 40.8% at the nucleotide level and 81.1 and 44.8% at the amino acid level. T he M2 protein gene was 582 nucleotides long, encoding 193 amino acids. Sequence comparisons between the M2 protein genes of HRV and those of IHNV and VHSV revealed similarities of 71.3 and 45.4% at the nucleoti de level and 86.0 and 57.0% at the amino acid level, respectively.