Identification and genome sequencing of RNA viruses in the eucalyptus snout beetle Gonipterus spp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The genomes of two putative new RNA viruses (macula-like virus and bunya-like virus) were identified in total RNA extracted from dead eucalyptus snout beetles ( Gonipterus spp.) from a laboratory colony. However, only bunya-like virus was detected in field-collected insects. The macula-like virus has a monopartite single-stranded RNA genome that contains three open reading frames (ORFs) encoding an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), a capsid protein (CP), protein with unknown function. The bunya-like virus genome was predicted to consist of two RNA segments: a large segment (L) encoding a single protein (RdRp) and a small segment (S) encoding a putative nucleocapsid protein.