We report the characterization of the 5'-terminal region of an isolate of Southern bean mosaic virus found in the São Paulo State, Brazil (SBMV-SP). The RNA was extracted from purified virus particles and subjected to RT-PCR using oligonucleotides designed to amplify about 590 nt of the 5'-terminal region of the viral RNA. A fragment with the expected size was obtained, which, after cloning and sequencing, showed the existence of a 5' non-coding region with 92 nt and the first ORF, starting at the first AUG (position 93) and ending at a UGA stop codon at position 534. A small site, partially complementary to the 3'-terminus of 18S ribossomal RNA was detected at the non-coding region. The ORF1 may encode a protein containing 147 amino acids with a deduced molecular weight of 17080 Da. The 3'-terminus of ORF1 overlaps the 5'-terminus of ORF2 in 34 nt. Our results indicate that the 5'-terminal region of SBMV-SP is similar to that of the Arkansas isolated (SBMV-ARK) described in the North America.
