ABSTRACT
The complete genome of encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV)strain GXLC isolated from swine was sequenced and analyzed. Five overlapped gene fragments covering the entire open reading frame (ORF) were amplified by RT-PCR, and the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) and 5'-UTR were amplified by the 3'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) and 5'-RACE method, respectively. The genome sequences of strain GXLC were obtained by assembling the sequences of RT-PCR-generated cDNA fragments. The length of the complete genome was 7 725 nucleotides (nt). The homology comparison and phylogenetic analysis of the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences between strain GXLC and other EMCV strains available in GenBank were performed. The results showed that the complete genome identity between GXLC strain and the strains from China, i.e. GX0601, GX0602, BJC3 and HB1 and the strains from other countries, i.e. CBNU, K3, K11, TEL-2887A, EMCV-R and PV21 was over 99%. The phylogenetic trees based on the complete genome, the structural protein or the non-structural protein gene sequences revealed that the tree topology was similar. All the EMCV strains could be divided into two groups: group I and group II, and group I could be subdivided into subgroup Ia and subgroup Ib. The strains from swine belonged to subgroup Ia or Ib, and the strains from mice belonged to subgroup Ia, while the strains from Sus scro fa belonged to group II. Strain GXLC, together with other EMCV isolates from China, belonged to subgroup Ia.