Abstract
Barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) and poa semilatent virus (PSLV) are members of the hordeivirus group. The physiocochemical data presented here confirm the morphological similarity of PSLV and BSMV. The two virsues can also be distinguished serologically, and their capsid proteins differ in mobility in polyacrylamide gels. PSLV coat protein has a relative molecular mass (Mr) of 23,000, but BSMV coat protein has an Mr or 25,000. Both viruses contain multiple RNA species, but after denaturation the three RNAs of PSLV migrate more slowly in agarose gels than the three RNAs of the ND18 strain of BSMV. The genomes of the two viruses have no significant nucleotide sequence homology as measured by nucleic acid hybridization. Thus, these results support previous suggestions that BSMV and PSLV are distinct members of the same group.