Characterization of Port Bolivar Virus, a Novel Entomobirnavirus (<i>Birnaviridae</i>) Isolated from Mosquitoes Collected in East Texas, USA

Robert B. Tesh; Bethany G. Bolling; Hilda Guzman; Vsevolod L. Popov; Ashley Wilson; Steven G. Widen; Thomas G. Wood; Peter J. Walker; Nikos Vasilakis

doi:10.3390/v12040390

Viruses (Mar 2020)

Characterization of Port Bolivar Virus, a Novel Entomobirnavirus (<i>Birnaviridae</i>) Isolated from Mosquitoes Collected in East Texas, USA

Robert B. Tesh,
Bethany G. Bolling,
Hilda Guzman,
Vsevolod L. Popov,
Ashley Wilson,
Steven G. Widen,
Thomas G. Wood,
Peter J. Walker,
Nikos Vasilakis

Affiliations

Robert B. Tesh: Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA
Bethany G. Bolling: World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA
Hilda Guzman: Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA
Vsevolod L. Popov: Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA
Ashley Wilson: Galveston County Mosquito Control, 5115 Highway 3, Dickinson, TX 77539, USA
Steven G. Widen: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555, USA
Thomas G. Wood: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555, USA
Peter J. Walker: School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
Nikos Vasilakis: Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/v12040390
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 12, no. 4
p. 390

Abstract

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This report describes and characterizes a novel entomobirnavirus, designated Port Bolivar virus (PTBV), that was isolated from a pool of Aedes sollicitans mosquitoes collected in a saltwater marsh in East Texas, USA. Full genome sequencing and phylogenetic analyses indicate that PTBV is distinct but genetically related to Drosophila X virus and mosquito X virus, which are assigned to species in the genus Entomobirnavirus, family Birnaviridae. PTBV produced cytopathic effect (CPE) in cultures of mosquito (C6/36) cells, but not in Vero cell cultures. Ultrastructural studies of PTBV in infected C6/36 cells demonstrated unenveloped virus particles about 55 nm in diameter.

Published in Viruses

ISSN: 1999-4915 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Microbiology
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/viruses

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