Phylogenetic analysis of the L and HN gene of ophidian paramyxoviruses

Two reptilian paramyxoviruses, isolated from a neotropical rattlesnake (neo tropical virus, NTV, ATCC VR-1408) and a bush viper (bush viper virus, BVV, ATCC VR-1409), respectively, were analysed to determine their taxonomic po sition among other reptilian paramyxoviruses investigated previously by Ahn e et al. [7]. A 679 bp long region of the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) gene and a 627 bp long region of the large (L) gene were reverse transcribe d, amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequences were compared to mammalian paramyxoviruses belonging to the genera Respirovirus and Rubulavirus. The deduced amino acid sequence s revealed 58.9 to 62% homology for the partial L protein and 41% to 47.1% homology for the partial HN protein. For phylogenetic analyses, a 518 bp L gene and a 352 bp HN gene fragment were used, both generating similar trees consisting of two distinct main groups, and some intermediate isolates. BV V clustered within group "b" while NTV clustered together with the intermed iate ophidian paramyxovirus isolate Crot2-OH90.