Genetic characterization of Yokose virus, a flavivirus isolated from the bat in Japan

Yokose virus (strain Oita-36) was isolated from the bat in Japan in 1971. In the present study, we determined complete nucleotide sequences of Yokose virus using RT-PCR and RACE techniques. Yokose virus genome consists of 10,857 nucleotides in length (accession no. AB114858), containing a single open reading frame (3425 amino acids) encoding 11 viral proteins. We deduced the boundaries of each protein in the polyprotein sequence according to the protein cleavage sites of other flaviviruses. The nucleotide sequences of the 5′ and 3′ nontranslated region (NTR) and amino acid sequences of individual proteins of the virus were compared with those of six other flaviviruses including Japanese encephalitis virus, dengue-2 virus, yellow fever virus, West Nile virus, tick-borne encephalitis virus, and Rio Bravo virus or Modoc virus. Yokose virus demonstrated the highest similarity to yellow fever virus. Yokose virus also has CS1 motif, which are well-conserved specifically in mosquito-born flaviviruses, in its 3′ NTR. When a part of the NS5 amino acid sequence (345 amino acids) was compared with those of other four flaviviruses, Entebbe bat virus, Sokuluk virus, Sepik virus, and yellow fever virus, the three former viruses are more closely related to Yokose virus than yellow fever virus. Human sera from dengue-virus-infected case and yellow fever vaccinee reacted with the viral proteins. Moreover, human serum from a yellow fever vaccinee weakly neutralized Yokose virus. Our results suggest that there are cross-reactive antigenicities among Yokose virus and other flaviviruses.