Genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of Banna virus(genus Seadornavirus,family Reoviridae) isolated from Culicoides

In an investigation of blood-sucking insects and arboviruses, a virus(YN12243) was isolated from Culicoides samples collected in the Sino-Burmese border region of Yunnan Province, China. The virus caused cytopathic effect(CPE) in C6/36 cells and passaged stably. Polyacrylamide gel analysis showed that the genome of YN12243 was composed of 12 segments of double-stranded RNA(dsRNA), with a distribution pattern of 6-6. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the coding region(1.12 segments) were17,803 bp and 5,925 amino acids in length, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis of VP1 protein(RdRp) revealed that YN12243 belonged to genus Seadornavirus of family Reoviridae, and further analysis indicated that YN12243 belongs to the Banna virus(BAV) genotype A2. Additionally, YN12243 was located in the same evolutionary cluster as BAV strains isolated from different mosquito species, suggesting that the BAV isolated from Culicoides does not have species barriers. These results indicate that Culicoides can also be a vector for BAV. In view of the hematophagous habits of Culicoides on cattle, horses, deer, and other large animals, as well as the possibility of spreading and causing a variety of animal arboviral diseases, it is important to improve infection detection and monitor the BAV in large livestock.     

Isolation of Tibet orbivirus,TIBOV, from Culicoides Collected in Yunnan,China

We isolated a novel virus strain (YN12246) from Culicoides spp. specimens collected at the China-Laos-Myanmar border in southern Yunnan Province. This virus had a cytopathic effect (CPE) on both insect cells (C6/36) and mammalian cells (BHK-21). Electron microscopy revealed the structure of the virions to be spherical with a diameter of 75 nm. Polyacrylamide gel analysis demonstrated that the viral genome consisted of 10 segments of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), with a distribution pattern of 3-3-3-1. The coding sequences of 9 genome segments of YN12246 (Seg1, Seg3-Seg10) were obtained by high-throughput sequencing and Sanger sequencing. Comparisons of conserved genome segments 1 and 3 (Seg1 and Seg3), encoding the polymerase-VP1 and sub-core T2 protein, respectively, showed that YN12246 groups with the Culicoides-borne orbiviruses. The highest levels of sequence identity were detected between YN12246 and Tibet orbivirus (TIBOV), indicating that they belong to the same virus species (with amino acid identity of 98.8% and 96.4% for the polymerase and T2 protein, respectively). The data presented here confirm that YN12246 is a member of the TIBOV species, which was first isolated from mosquitoes in 2009. This is the first report of the isolation of TIBOV from Culicoides.     

中国分离巴泰病毒基因组全编码区序列测定和分析

采用RT-PCR和TAIL-PCR方法,首次对我国分离的巴泰病毒(YN92-4株)基因组的全编码区进行序列测定和分析。结果显示,YN92-4株病毒基因组由S、M、L三个片段组成,长度分别为947、4 371、6 860个核苷酸。其中,S片段基因编码由234个氨基酸残基组成的核衣壳蛋白和由102个氨基酸残基组成的非结构蛋白,M片段基因编码由1 435个氨基酸残基组成的前体蛋白,L片段基因编码由2 239个氨基酸残基组成的RNA聚合酶。与国外其它地区的巴泰病毒分离株进行基因组全编码区序列比较后发现,YN92-4株与日本牛血清分离株(ON-7/B/01株)在S、M片段核苷酸(氨基酸)的同源性最高,分别为97.7%(100%)和95.7%(98%);由于本研究首次开展对巴泰病毒L基因片段核苷酸序列的研究,因此国际基因库尚无可参考的序列信息,本研究比较了我国分离的巴泰病毒与同一血清组的代表病毒Bunyamwera病毒L片段的核苷酸和氨基酸序列同源性,分别为73.5%和81.6%。系统进化分析显示,YN92-4株基因组与其它巴泰病毒分离株在各自分支下形成独立分支。本研究提示我国分离的巴泰病毒YN92-4株未发生基因重配(...     

Radioimmunoassay of neuropeptide Y

The development of a radioimmunoassay to the newly isolated peptide, neuropeptide Y is described. Four separate antisera have been developed using different immunisation schedules. Two of these antisera (YNI and YNIO) are directed to the C-terminal region of the peptide and cross-react with the related peptide PYY, whereas YN7 is specific being directed to the N-terminal region of NPY, YN6 is similarly specific for NPY, but is unable to bind the available fragments. These four antisera provide similar results for determination of NPY immunoreactivity within porcine brain extracts, however YN6 consistently undervalues all extracts from the other species examined (human, rat, guinea pig, cat and mouse). Chromatographic analysis by means of reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) shows that NPY immunoreactivity of human extracts elutes in an earlier position than the porcine standard. It seems likely therefore that human and porcine NPY differ in their amino acid sequences.     

我国2009年新分离乙脑病毒全基因组序列特征研究

本研究对我国2009年新分离的两株乙脑病毒进行全基因组序列测定和分析,以了解病毒全基因组分子特征。通过RT-PCR和核苷酸序列测定方法获得病毒全基因组序列,采用ClustalX、DNASTAR、MEGA等生物学软件完成核苷酸序列及氨基酸序列分析和系统进化分析等。研究结果显示,新分离两株乙脑病毒YN0911和YN0967株基因组全长均为10 965个核苷酸,编码3 432个氨基酸。这2株乙脑病毒之间核苷酸同源性为98.7%,氨基酸同源性为99.8%。与国际乙脑病毒流行株相比,核苷酸同源性为83.5%～98.9%,氨基酸同源性为94.8%～99.7%。与乙脑病毒疫苗株SA14-14-2相比,在E蛋白有13个氨基酸差异位点,但都位于抗原关键位点之外。这2株病毒在3′UTR区域存在11nt缺失。基于C/PrM区段、E基因、全基因组系统进化分析结果均显示新分离2株乙脑病毒为G I乙脑病毒,并且和越南、四川、贵州、广西以往的分离株遗传进化关系较近。本研究提示我国新分离的2株乙脑病毒均为G I乙脑病毒,决定病毒毒力的关键氨基酸位点未见明显变化。     

Cloning and sequencing of the bovine adenovirus type 2 early region 4

Bovine adenovirus type 2 (BAV2) is a medium size double-stranded DNA virus which infects both bovine and ovine species, resulting in mild respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders. To better understand the virus and its growth characterisitics in Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells, we have cloned and sequenced the extreme right-end segment of the BAV2 genome (90.5–100 map units). Analysis of the nucleotide sequence revealed 40 potential open reading frames (ORFs) with coding capacity for polypeptides that are 25 or more amino acid (aa) residues long. Six of these ORFs encode polypeptides that show homology to well-characterized early region 4 (E4) proteins of human adenovirus type 2 (Ad2) and Ad12. ORF1 has the potential to encode a 114 aa long polypeptide that is 54% homologous to the E4 14 kDa protein of Ad2. ORF2 encodes a 78 aa long polypeptide that exhibits 40% homology to the E4 13 kDa protein of Ad2. ORFs 3–6 encode polypeptides that have homology to the E4 34 kDa protein encoded by ORF6 of Ad2 and Ad12. ORFs 3, 4 and 5 encode 128, 96 and 31 aa long polypeptides, respectively. The 128-aa polypeptide exhibits 59% homology, while the 96 and 31 aa long polypeptides exhibit 61% and 70% homology to the E4 34 kDa protein, respectively. ORF6 has the potential to encode a 57 aa long polypeptide that has 67% homology to the E4 34 kDa protein of Ad2 and 50% homology to the E4 34 kDa protein of Ad12.     

Oral susceptibility of South African stock-associated Culicoides species to bluetongue virus

Field-collected South African Culicoides species (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) were fed on sheep blood containing bluetongue virus (BTV) represented by 13 low-passage reference serotypes: -1, -2, -4, -6, -7, -8, -9, -10, -11, -12, -13, -16 and -19. After 10 days of extrinsic incubation at 23.5 degrees C, of the 13 serotypes used, seven were recovered from C. (Avaritia) imicola Kieffer and 11 from C. (A.) bolitinos Meiswinkel. Virus recovery rates and the mean titres for most serotypes were significantly higher in C. bolitinos than in C. imicola. In addition, BTV was recovered from three non-Avaritia Culicoides species, namely C. (Remmia) enderleini Cornet & Brunhes (BTV-9), C. (Hoffmania) milnei Austen (BTV-4) and C. (H.) zuluensis de Meillon (BTV-16). No virus could be recovered from 316 individuals representing a further 14 Culicoides species. In Culicoides species fed on blood containing similar or identical virus titres of distinct BTV serotypes, significant differences were found in virus recovery rates. The results of this study confirm the higher vector competence of C. bolitinos compared with C. imicola.     

Occurrence of Culicoides spp. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Tunisia, with emphasis on the bluetongue vector Culicoides imicola

Following the bluetongue (BT) outbreaks in Tunisia from 1999 to 2002, BTV (bluetongue virus) serotype 2 was isolated; however, no entomological investigation was performed. In the study presented here, we assessed the Culicoides species populations (particularly C. imicola) in proximity to the BT outbreaks locations, both as a retrospective analysis and to update the list of Culicoides species present in Tunisia. The insects were caught using light traps and the species identification was performed according to the standard entomological methods. This study reveaaled the presence of significant numbers of C. imicola in all the tested locations. In addition, we reported a new Culicoides species for the Tunisian fauna C. punctatus.     

Characterization of the Influenza A Virus Gene Pool in Avian Species in Southern China: Was H6N1 a Derivative or a Precursor of H5N1?

In 1997, an H5N1 influenza virus outbreak occurred in chickens in Hong Kong, and the virus was transmitted directly to humans. Because there is limited information about the avian influenza virus reservoir in that region, we genetically characterized virus strains isolated in Hong Kong during the 1997 outbreak. We sequenced the gene segments of a heterogeneous group of viruses of seven different serotypes (H3N8, H4N8, H6N1, H6N9, H11N1, H11N9, and H11N8) isolated from various bird species. The phylogenetic relationships divided these viruses into several subgroups. An H6N1 virus isolated from teal (A/teal/Hong Kong/W312/97 [H6N1]) showed very high (>98%) nucleotide homology to the human influenza virus A/Hong Kong/156/97 (H5N1) in the six internal genes. The N1 neuraminidase sequence showed 97% nucleotide homology to that of the human H5N1 virus, and the N1 protein of both viruses had the same 19-amino-acid deletion in the stalk region. The deduced hemagglutinin amino acid sequence of the H6N1 virus was most similar to that of A/shearwater/Australia/1/72 (H6N5). The H6N1 virus is the first known isolate with seven H5N1-like segments and may have been the donor of the neuraminidase and the internal genes of the H5N1 viruses. The high homology between the internal genes of H9N2, H6N1, and the H5N1 isolates indicates that these subtypes are able to exchange their internal genes and are therefore a potential source of new pathogenic influenza virus strains. Our analysis suggests that surveillance for influenza A viruses should be conducted for wild aquatic birds as well as for poultry, pigs, and humans and that H6 isolates should be further characterized.     

Biochemical studies on bovine adenovirus type 3. III. Cleavage maps of viral DNA by restriction endoncleases EcoRI, BamHI, and HindIII.

Cleavage of bovine adenovirus type 3 (BAV3) DNA by restriction endonucleases EcoRI, BamHI, and HindIII yielded 7 (A to G), 5 (A to E), and 12 (A to L) fragments, respectively. The order of these fragments has been determined to be GDACBFE for EcoRI fragments, AEBDC for BamHI fragments, and JEBKACDHFGIL for HindIII fragments, and cleavage sites of these enzymes have been mapped on the genome of BAV3. BAV3 preparation contains incomplete virus whose genome has a deletion of about 13% of complete virus genome. Restriction endonuclease digestion of the incomplete virus DNA revealed that EcoRI E and F, BamHI C and HindIII G, I, and L fragments were deleted. Therefore, the deleted region of incomplete virus DNA is located near the right-hand end of the BAV3 DNA molecule, a result consistent with our previous electron-microscopic observations on heteroduplex molecules formed between complete and incomplete BAV3 DNA.     

Genomic sequences of Australian bluetongue virus prototype serotypes reveal global relationships and possible routes of entry into Australia

Bluetongue virus (BTV) is transmitted by biting midges (Culicoides spp.). It causes disease mainly in sheep and occasionally in cattle and other species. BTV has spread into northern Europe, causing disease in sheep and cattle. The introduction of new serotypes, changes in vector species, and climate change have contributed to these changes. Ten BTV serotypes have been isolated in Australia without apparent associated disease. Simplified methods for preferential isolation of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and template preparation enabled high-throughput sequencing of the 10 genome segments of all Australian BTV prototype serotypes. Phylogenetic analysis reinforced the Western and Eastern topotypes previously characterized but revealed unique features of several Australian BTVs. Many of the Australian BTV genome segments (Seg-) were closely related, clustering together within the Eastern topotypes. A novel Australian topotype for Seg-5 (NS1) was identified, with taxa spread across several serotypes and over time. Seg-1, -2, -3, -4, -6, -7, -9, and -10 of BTV_2_AUS_2008 were most closely related to the cognate segments of viruses from Taiwan and Asia and not other Australian viruses, supporting the conclusion that BTV_2 entered Australia recently. The Australian BTV_15_AUS_1982 prototype was revealed to be unusual among the Australian BTV isolates, with Seg-3 and -8 distantly related to other BTV sequences from all serotypes.     

Culicoides in relation to transmission of African Horse Sickness virus in The Gambia

Twelve light trap collections made near overnight shelters of horses and donkeys in four villages in the Central River Division of The Gambia captured fourteen species of biting midge of the genus Culicoides . Five species new to The Gambia were identified. This brought the number of recognized species of Culicoides (after a revision of C. schultzei ) to twenty-nine in The Gambia. Species known or suspected as vectors of African horse sickness virus (AHSV) and bluetongue virus (BTV) comprised 83% of female captures, 65% of captures being C. imicola or its sibling species , C. miombo . Captures of female Culicoides in the late dry season were almost as large as in the early dry season, despite the extreme heat and dryness at this time of the year.
Tests on batches of formalin-preserved female midges, using AHSV or BTV antigen capture ELISAs, did not show the presence of any virus amongst 2286 females in 240 aliquots. Nearly all Gambian equines are reportedly seropositive to AHSV and these results suggest that virus challenge from Culicoides vectors may be a factor in the health of Gambian horses and donkeys.     

Virus recovery rates for wild-type and live-attenuated vaccine strains of African horse sickness virus serotype 7 in orally infected South African Culicoides species

Previously reported virus recovery rates from Culicoides (Avaritia) imicola Kieffer and Culicoides (Avaritia) bolitinos Meiswinkel (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) orally infected with vaccine strain of African horse sickness virus serotype 7 (AHSV-7) were compared with results obtained from concurrently conducted oral infections with five recent AHSV-7 isolates from naturally infected horses from various localities in South Africa. Culicoides were fed sheep bloods spiked with 10(7.6) TCID(50)/mL of a live-attenuated vaccine strain AHSV-7, and with five field isolates in which virus titre in the bloodmeals ranged from 10(7.1) to 10(8.2) TCID(50)/mL). After an extrinsic incubation of 10 days at 23.5 degrees C, virus recovery rates were significantly higher in C. imicola (13.3%) and C. bolitinos (4.2%) infected with the live-attenuated virus than in midges infected with any of the field isolates. The virus recovery rates for the latter groups ranged from 0% to 9.5% for C. imicola and from 0% to 1.5% for C. bolitinos. The C. imicola population at Onderstepoort was significantly more susceptible to infection with AHSV-7 isolated at Onderstepoort than to the virus strains isolated from other localities. Results of this study suggest that tissue culture attenuation of AHSV-7 does not reduce its ability to orally infect competent Culicoides species and may even lead to enhanced replication in the vector. Furthermore, oral susceptibility in a midge population appears to vary for geographically distinct isolates of AHSV-7.     

Replication of live-attenuated vaccine strains of bluetongue virus in orally infected South African Culicoides species

Field-collected South African Culicoides (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) were fed on sheep blood containing 16 live-attenuated vaccine strains of bluetongue virus (BTV) comprising serotypes -1, -2, -3, -4, -5, -6, -7, -8, -9, -10, -11, -12, -13, -14, -16 and -19. After 10 days extrinsic incubation at 23.5 degrees C, 11 and seven of the 16 BTV serotypes used were recovered from Culicoides (Avaritia) imicola Kieffer and Culicoides (A.) bolitinos Meiswinkel, respectively. One serotype was also recovered from Culicoides (Remmia) enderleini Cornet & Brunhes. Bluetongue virus recovery rates and the mean titres for most serotypes were significantly higher in C. bolitinos than in C. imicola. Significant differences were found in virus recovery rates from Culicoides species fed on blood containing similar or identical virus titres of different BTV serotypes. In addition, we demonstrated that a single passage of live-attenuated BTV-1, -2, -4, -9 and -16 through the insect vector, followed by passaging in insect cells, did not alter its infectivity for C. imicola and that the oral susceptibility of C. imicola to the attenuated vaccine strains of BTV-1, -4, -9 and -16 remained similar for at least three consecutive seasons.     

活性污泥菌胶团/生物絮团形成菌的分离鉴定及基因组分析

从云南省泸西县的污水处理厂分离到一株菌胶团形成菌YN12, 经过鉴定与象牙白伪杜擀氏菌(Pseudoduganella eburnea)10R5-21T模式株具有较近的亲缘关系, 属于同一物种。为揭示该菌株与其他活性污泥细菌间菌胶团形成机制及碳源利用方面的异同, 对该菌株进行全基因组测序、组装、注释及比较基因组学分析。结果表明: P. eburnea YN12株基因组大小约为5934 kb, G+C含量为63.9%, 包含5313个蛋白质编码序列, 具有与喜树脂动胶菌(Zoogloea resiniphila)MMB株、解叔丁醇水居菌(Aquincola tertiaricarbonis)RN12株及解壳聚糖松江菌(Mitsuaria chitosanitabida)XHY-A6株相似的胞外多糖生物合成途径、PrsK-PrsR双组分系统和PEP-CTERM胞外蛋白家族, 共同介导和调控的菌胶团形成机制。与后者相比, 菌株YN12中胞外多聚物(Extracellular polymeric substances, EPS)形成相关基因集中在大小约为72 kb的大型基因簇上, 且能吸收利用的碳源特别是单糖、二糖和多糖更为丰富多样。同时, 我们还从河流及养殖水体中也分离到象牙白伪杜擀氏菌, 这些菌株可用于生物絮团技术(Biofloc Technology), 改善水产养殖水质。     

Isolation of arboviruses from insects collected at Beatrice Hill, Northern Territory of Australia, 1974-1976

Between October 1974 and May 1976, 57 596 mosquitoes, 169 957 Culicoides, 5923 Lasiohelea and 1043 phlebotomines were collected for virus isolation at Beatrice Hill (lat. 12 degrees 39'S.,long. 131 degrees 20'E.) in the Northern Territory of Australia. A total of 94 viruses belonging to 22 different serological groupings was isolated. The following species of insect yielded viruses which were identified and those viruses marked with an asterisk represent a new record of insect host: Culex annulirostris: Ross River, Kokobera, Barmah Forest, Corriparta, Eubenangee*, Wongorr; Anopheles amictus: Mapputta*; An bancroftii: bovine ephemeral fever*; An farauti: Eubenangee*; An annulipes: Mapputta; Culicoides marksi: Barmah Forest*, Belmont, Eubenangee*, Wallal, Warrego, Leanyer*, Parker's Farm*, Humpty Doo*; C. peregrinus: Beatrice Hill*; C. oxystoma: Bunyip Creek*, Marrakai*; C. pallidothorax: Wongorr*; C. histrio: Thimiri*; Lasiohelea spp.: Humpty Doo*. Pools of mixed species of Culicoides yielded bluetongue, Belmont, CSIRO Village, Warrego and Facey's Paddock viruses. Filter-passing agents not yet identified, were isolated from Cx annulirostris and An bancroftii. As well as providing new locality records for all but one of the 22 viruses isolated, the study yielded five new viruses (bluetongue serotype 20, CSIRO Village, Marrakai, Beatrice Hill and Humpty Doo viruses) and a new record for Thimiri virus which had not been recorded previously in Australia nor had it been isolated from an arthropod. Nine of the viruses isolated occur in more than one family of Diptera.     

Saliva proteins of vector Culicoides modify structure and infectivity of bluetongue virus particles

Bluetongue virus (BTV) and epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) are related orbiviruses, transmitted between their ruminant hosts primarily by certain haematophagous midge vectors (Culicoides spp.). The larger of the BTV outer-capsid proteins, 'VP2', can be cleaved by proteases (including trypsin or chymotrypsin), forming infectious subviral particles (ISVP) which have enhanced infectivity for adult Culicoides, or KC cells (a cell-line derived from C. sonorensis). We demonstrate that VP2 present on purified virus particles from 3 different BTV strains can also be cleaved by treatment with saliva from adult Culicoides. The saliva proteins from C. sonorensis (a competent BTV vector), cleaved BTV-VP2 more efficiently than those from C. nubeculosus (a less competent/non-vector species). Electrophoresis and mass spectrometry identified a trypsin-like protease in C. sonorensis saliva, which was significantly reduced or absent from C. nubeculosus saliva. Incubating purified BTV-1 with C. sonorensis saliva proteins also increased their infectivity for KC cells ～10 fold, while infectivity for BHK cells was reduced by 2-6 fold. Treatment of an 'eastern' strain of EHDV-2 with saliva proteins of either C. sonorensis or C. nubeculosus cleaved VP2, but a 'western' strain of EHDV-2 remained unmodified. These results indicate that temperature, strain of virus and protein composition of Culicoides saliva (particularly its protease content which is dependent upon vector species), can all play a significant role in the efficiency of VP2 cleavage, influencing virus infectivity. Saliva of several other arthropod species has previously been shown to increase transmission, infectivity and virulence of certain arboviruses, by modulating and/or suppressing the mammalian immune response. The findings presented here, however, demonstrate a novel mechanism by which proteases in Culicoides saliva can also directly modify the orbivirus particle structure, leading to increased infectivity specifically for Culicoides cells and, in turn, efficiency of transmission to the insect vector.     

应用单引物差异RT-PCR法鉴定我国分离的甲病毒(YN87448病毒)

甲病毒指披膜病毒科(Togavirdae)甲病毒属(Alphavirus),以蚊虫等吸血昆虫为传播媒介,可引起如辛德毕斯热、基孔肯雅热、东方马脑炎、西方马脑炎等多种人畜共患性传染病[1,2],是医学上重要的虫媒病毒.甲病毒世界性分布,全世界已发现28种甲病毒,其中13种与人畜疾病有关,至少7种甲病毒发生过不同程度流行,造成巨大的经济损失,成为严重的公共卫生问题.张海林等(中国媒介生物学及控制杂志,1992,3(特7):419－421)从云南傣族一位发热病人血中分离到一株病毒,命名为YN87448病毒.经血清学鉴定该病毒符合披膜病毒科甲病毒属病毒特征.由于缺乏标准诊断血清,无法对它作进一步鉴定.该病毒直接分离自发热病人血清,病人主要症状为发热,寒颤,腰疼痛和全身酸痛.由于该病毒直接分离自病人血清,病毒鉴定对解释该病人的发病原因,甚至对于解释我国部分地区流行的"无名热"的病因均具有重要意义.     

库蠓源蓝舌病病毒1型的分离和初步鉴定

为监测云南边境地区虫媒库蠓蓝舌病病毒携带情况,本研究对2013年-2017年从云南6个口岸及周边地区采集到的约5 400只库蠓样本,分180组。采用荧光定量RT-PCR检测、鸡胚和细胞分离、目的基因克隆测序分析和间接免疫荧光试验等进行病毒分离与鉴定。结果显示:采集库蠓样本中有20组检出蓝舌病病毒核酸,检出率为11.11%(20/180);接种后有1份样本能导致鸡胚胚体充血出血和死亡以及BHK-21细胞呈现明显的细胞病变;RT-PCR能从感染细胞样本中扩增出蓝舌病病毒VP7基因特异性片段,且该片段序列与国外BTV-1毒株相应序列的相似性达95%~99%;间接免疫荧光试验显示分离病毒能与BTV-1抗体发生特异性结合。结果表明,云南边境地区库蠓携带有蓝舌病病毒,且为BTV-1,因此应加强对云南边境地区蓝舌病的预防与控制。