CLUSTERING OF ARGENTINEAN TOSPOVIRUSES WITH EXISTING SPECIES IN THE GENUS BY SEQUENCE-ANALYSIS OF A 450-NUCLEOTIDE RNA REGION OF THE N GENE

The genomic diversity of Argentine Tospoviruses from different geograp hical areas, and from several distinct crops was analysed here. For ea ch isolate, RT-PCR, cloning and sequencing of a 450 nt fragment of the N gene were performed. Comparisons of RNA and predicted amino acid se quence identity and similarity were made. A partial sequence of the N gene was able to classify our local isolates within three Tospovirus s pecies previously described (Tomato spotted wilt virus, TSWV; tomato c hlorotic spot virus, TCSV and groundnut ringspot virus, GRSV). With th e sequence data currently available, we performed a cladistic phylogen etic analysis which gave a possible genealogy among members of the Tos povirus genus.