Molecular characterization of a novel victorivirus (order Ghabrivirales , family Totiviridae ) infecting Metarhizium anisopliae

Here, we report the occurrence and complete genome sequence of a novel victorivirus infecting Metarhizium anisopliae , named “Metarhizium anisopliae victorivirus 1” (MaVV1). The genome is 5353 bp in length and contains two open reading frames (ORFs), encoding a coat protein and an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), that overlap at the octanucleotide sequence AUGAGUAA. These ORFs showed sequence similarity to the corresponding ORFs of Ustilaginoidea virens RNA virus L (68.23%) and Ustilaginoidea virens RNA virus 13 (58.11%), respectively, both of which belong to the family Totiviridae . Phylogenetic analysis based on RdRp sequences revealed that MaVV1 clustered with members of the genus Victorivirus . This is the first genome sequence reported for a virus belonging to the genus Victorivirus infecting the entomopathogenic fungus M. anisopliae .