Novel mitoviruses and a unique tymo-like virus in hypovirulent and virulent strains of the fusarium head blight fungus, Fusarium boothii

Hypovirulence of phytopathogenic fungi are often conferred by mycovirus(es) infections and for this reason many mycoviruses have been characterized, contributing to a better understanding of virus diversity. In this study, three strains of Fusarium head blight fungus (Fusarium boothii) were isolated from Ethiopian wheats as dsRNA-carrying strains: hypovirulent Ep-BL13 (>10, 3 and 2.5 kbp dsRNAs), and virulent Ep-BL14 and Ep-N28 (3 kbp dsRNA each) strains. The 3 kbp-dsRNAs shared 98% nucleotide identity and have single ORFs encoding a replicase when applied to mitochondrial codon usage. Phylogenetic analysis revealed these were strains of a new species termed Fusarium boothii mitovirus 1 in the genus Mitovirus. The largest and smallest dsRNAs in Ep-BL13 appeared to possess single ORFs and the smaller was originated from the larger by removal of its most middle part. The large dsRNA encoded a replicase sharing the highest amino acid identity (35%) with that of Botrytis virus F, the sole member of the family Gammaflexiviridae. Given that the phylogenetic placement, large genome size, simple genomic and unusual 3′-terminal RNA structures were far different from members in the order Tymovirales, the virus termed Fusarium boothii large flexivirus 1 may form a novel genus and family under the order.