Population structure of blueberry mosaic associated virus: Evidence of reassortment in geographically distinct isolates

• BlMaV isolates from North America and Slovenia display low genetic diversity.
• BlMaV genes are under strong purifying selection.
• BlMV evolution is probably shaped by several mechanisms.

The population structure of blueberry mosaic associated virus (BlMaV), a putative member of the family Ophioviridae, was examined using 61 isolates collected from North America and Slovenia. The studied isolates displayed low diversity in the movement and nucleocapsid proteins and low ratios of non-synonymous to synonymous nucleotide substitutions, indicative of strong purifying selection. Phylogenetic analyses revealed grouping primarily based on geography with some isolates deviating from this rule. Phylogenetic incongruence in the two regions, coupled with detection of reassortment events, indicated the possible role of genetic exchange in the evolution of BlMaV.