Molecular diversity of the Lyssavirus genus

The sequence of 5568 nucleotides of the 3' moiety of the Mokola virus genome (serotype 3 of lyssaviruses) encompassing the nucleoprotein (N), phosphoprotein, matrix protein, and glycoprotein genes is presented and compared to that of the vaccinal strains of serotype 1. It allowed us to determine consensus sequences derived from the transcriptional start/stop signals and the order of protein conservation (nucleoprotein > matrix protein > phosphoprotein) in lyssaviruses. The sequences of the N gene of a fox rabies virus isolate from France (serotype 1), Lagos bat virus (serotype 2), Duvenhage virus (serotype 4), two European bat lyssaviruses (EBL) subtype 1, and two EBL subtype 2 were also determined to study the genetic diversity throughout the whole Lyssavirus genus and reinvestigate the classification of this genus. Six clearly distinct genotypes can be distinguished according to their percentage of amino acid similarity. Genotypes 2 (Lagos bat virus) and 3 (Mokola virus) are the most phylogenetically distant from the vaccinal and classical rabies viruses of genotype 1. Genotypes 4 (Duvenhage virus) and 5 (EBL1) are closely related to each other. Genotype 6 is represented by EBL2. Compared to the N proteins of the four principal serotypes of the Vesiculovirus genus (vesicular stomatitis virus serotype New Jersey and serotype Indiana, Chandipura virus, and Piry virus), the N gene of lyssaviruses exhibits a lower genetic variability.