Detection and characterization of a novel hepacivirus in long-tailed ground squirrels (Spermophilus undulatus) in China
| Autor: | Shu Shen, Yujiang Zhang, Li-li Li, Hong-yan Deng, Ya-long Xu, Zhao-jun Duan, Meng-meng Liu, Fei Deng |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2018 |
| Předmět: |
China
Rodent viruses Hepacivirus Genome Viral Virus Host Specificity 03 medical and health sciences Open Reading Frames Viral Proteins Virology biology.animal Animals Ground squirrel Phylogeny 030304 developmental biology Genomic organization 0303 health sciences Genetic diversity biology Phylogenetic tree 030306 microbiology Genetic Variation Sciuridae General Medicine biology.organism_classification Evolutionary biology Novel virus |
| Zdroj: | Archives of virology. 164(9) |
| ISSN: | 1432-8798 |
| Popis: | Rodent populations are known to be reservoirs of viruses with the potential to infect humans. However, a large number of such viruses remain undiscovered. In this study, we investigated the shedding of unknown viruses in long-tailed ground squirrel (Spermophilus undulatus) feces by high-throughput sequencing. A novel and highly divergent virus related to members of the genus Hepacivirus was identified in ground squirrel liver. This virus, tentatively named RHV-GS2015, was found to have a genome organization that is typical of hepaciviruses, including a long open reading frame encoding a polyprotein of 2763 aa. Sequence alignment of RHV-GS2015 with the most closely related hepaciviruses yielded p-distances of the NS3 and NS5B regions of 0.546 and 0.476, respectively, supporting the conclusion that RHV-GS2015 is a member of a new hepacivirus species, which we propose to be named "Hepacivirus P". Phylogenetic analysis of the NS3 and NS5B regions indicated that RHV-GS2015 shares common ancestry with other rodent hepaciviruses (species Hepacivirus E, and species Hepacivirus F), Norway rat hepacivirus 1 (species Hepacivirus G), and Norway rat hepacivirus 2 (species Hepacivirus H). A phylogenetic tree including the seven previously identified rodent hepaciviruses revealed extreme genetic heterogeneity among these viruses. RHV-GS2015 was detected in 7 out of 12 ground squirrel pools and was present in liver, lung, and spleen tissues. Furthermore, livers showed extremely high viral loads of RHV-GS2015, ranging from 2.5 × 106 to 2.0 × 108 copies/g. It is reasonable to assume that this novel virus is hepatotropic, like hepatitis C virus. The discovery of RHV-GS2015 extends our knowledge of the genetic diversity and host range of hepaciviruses, helping to elucidate their origins and evolution. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|
Full text from SpringerLink