The complete nucleotide sequence of a bovine enterovirus

The complete nucleotide sequence of the genome of a bovine enterovirus (strain VG-5-27) has been determined using molecular cloning and DNA sequencing techniques. Excluding the poly(A) tract the genome was 7414 nucleotides long and contained a 5' non-coding region which at 818 nucleotides was longer than that of most picornaviruses. The single large open reading frame encoded a potential polyprotein of 2175 amino acids which showed considerable homology with other enteroviruses. This homology has allowed us to predict the possible cleavage sites of the polyprotein and to identify other features of structural and functional significance which might help us to understand the constraints involved in the evolutionary divergence of these viruses.