Genomic insights and phylogenetic relationships of a novel alasvirus from Recilia dorsalis

In this study, we report the discovery of a novel virus, Recilia dorsalis alasvirus (RdAV), found in the insect vector Recilia dorsalis which is a significant pest of rice crop. The complete genome of RdAV, consisting of 14,115 bp, was sequenced and analyzed. The viral genome shares a 36.32% identity with the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of Hubei diptera virus belonging to genus alasvirus . It encodes four open reading frames, including a nucleoprotein (N), glycoprotein (G), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and an unknown protein. N shares 22.0%, G shares 34.05% and RdRp shares 42.53% nucleotide sequence percentage identity to Hubei diptera virus respectively. Phylogenetic analysis also reveals that RdAV is most closely related to Hubei diptera virus which is the member of genus Alasvirus in family Xinmoviridae . Given the ecological significance of R. dorsalis as a vector for many plant viruses, this discovery provides new insights into the potential impact of this virus on vector biology and paves the way for novel pest management strategies.