Cloning, sequencing, and promoter identification of Blueberry red ringspot virus, a member of the family Caulimoviridae with similarities to the “Soybean chlorotic mottle-like” genus

Summary.

 The double-stranded DNA genome of Blueberry red ringspot virus (BRRV), a member of the family Caulimoviridae, was cloned and sequenced. The genome organization and relationships of the 8303 nt sequence revealed BRRV to be a tentative member of the genus that has been provisionally named “Soybean chlorotic mottle-like viruses”, rather than a member of the genus Caulimovirus, in which it had been placed previously. Insertion of the putative 35S promoter homolog of BRRV into promoterless constructs carrying the UidA (β-glucuronidase) gene resulted in high-level transient expression from cranberry and stable expression from transgenic tobacco. Sequences of 5′-RACE clones derived from transcripts from transgenic tobacco were consistent with the map position of the promoter.