Novel Divavirus (the family Betaflexiviridae) and Mitovirus (the family Narnaviridae) species identified in basil (Ocimum basilicum)

Transcriptome data obtained from a plant sample often contain a large number of reads that are derived from associated RNA virus genomes that were co-isolated during RNA preparation. These virus-derived reads can be assembled into a novel plant RNA genome sequence. Here, a basil (Ocimum basilicum) transcriptome dataset was analyzed to identify two new RNA viruses, which were named Ocimum basilicum RNA virus 1 (ObRV1) and Ocimum basilicum RNA virus 2 (ObRV2). A phylogenetic analysis of the ObRV1 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) motif indicated that ObRV1 is a novel species of the genus Divavirus of the family Betaflexiviridae. ObRV1 is the fourth divavirus species to be identified. The ObRV2 RdRp motif showed sequence similarity to viruses of the genus Mitovirus of the family Narnaviridae, which infect fungal mitochondria. Although most of the known mitoviruses do not produce a functional RdRp using the plant mitochondrial genetic code, the ObRV2 encodes a full-length RdRp using both the fungal and plant mitochondrial genetic codes.