Tentative identification of RNA‐dependent RNA polymerases of dsRNA viruses and their relationship to positive strand RNA viral polymerases

Amino acid sequence stretches similar to the four most conserved segments of positive strand RNA viral RNA‐dependent RNA polymerases have been identified in proteins of four dsRNA viruses belonging to three families, i.e. P2 protein of bacteriophage φ6 (Cystoviridae), RNA 2 product of infectious bursa disease virus (Birnaviridae), λ3 protein of reovirus, and VP1 of bluetongue virus (Reoviridae). High statistical significance of the observed similarity was demonstrated, allowing identification of these proteins as likely candidates for RNA‐dependent RNA polymerases. Based on these observations, and on the previously reported sequence similarity between the RNA polymerases of a yeast dsRNA virus and those of positive strand RNA viruses, a possible evolutionary relationship between the two virus classes is discussed.