Characterization of Haartman Institute snake virus-1 (HISV-1) and HISV-like viruses—The representatives of genus Hartmanivirus, family Arenaviridae

The family Arenaviridae comprises three genera, Mammarenavirus, Reptarenavirus and the most recently added Hartmanivirus. Arenaviruses have a bisegmented genome with ambisense coding strategy. For mammarenaviruses and reptarenaviruses the L segment encodes the Z protein (ZP) and the RNA-dependent RN...

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Published in:PLoS pathogens Vol. 14; no. 11; p. e1007415
Main Authors: Hepojoki, Jussi, Hepojoki, Satu, Smura, Teemu, Szirovicza, Leonóra, Dervas, Eva, Prähauser, Barbara, Nufer, Lisbeth, Schraner, Elisabeth M., Vapalahti, Olli, Kipar, Anja, Hetzel, Udo
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States Public Library of Science 01.11.2018
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Subjects:
Animals
Arenaviridae
Arenaviridae - genetics
Arenaviridae Infections - virology
Arenavirus - classification
Arenavirus - genetics
Arenaviruses
Base Sequence
Bioinformatics
Biology and Life Sciences
Boidae - virology
Cell Line
DNA-directed RNA polymerase
Electron microscopy
Fluorescent antibody technique
Gel electrophoresis
Gene sequencing
Genetic aspects
Genomes
Genomics
Glycoproteins
Immunofluorescence
Inclusion bodies
Inclusion Bodies, Viral - pathology
Infections
Medicine and Health Sciences
Microscopy
Nucleic acids
Pathology
Phylogeny
Polymerase chain reaction
Proteins
Research and Analysis Methods
RNA
RNA polymerase
RNA Replicase - genetics
RNA, Viral - genetics
RNA-directed RNA polymerase
Snakes
Sodium lauryl sulfate
Tropism
Veterinary medicine
Viral Proteins - genetics
Virology
Virus replication
Viruses
Switzerland
Finland
ISSN:1553-7374, 1553-7366, 1553-7374
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Summary:The family Arenaviridae comprises three genera, Mammarenavirus, Reptarenavirus and the most recently added Hartmanivirus. Arenaviruses have a bisegmented genome with ambisense coding strategy. For mammarenaviruses and reptarenaviruses the L segment encodes the Z protein (ZP) and the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and the S segment encodes the glycoprotein precursor and the nucleoprotein. Herein we report the full length genome and characterization of Haartman Institute snake virus-1 (HISV-1), the putative type species of hartmaniviruses. The L segment of HISV-1 lacks an open-reading frame for ZP, and our analysis of purified HISV-1 particles by SDS-PAGE and electron microscopy further support the lack of ZP. Since we originally identified HISV-1 in co-infection with a reptarenavirus, one could hypothesize that co-infecting reptarenavirus provides the ZP to complement HISV-1. However, we observed that co-infection does not markedly affect the amount of hartmanivirus or reptarenavirus RNA released from infected cells in vitro, indicating that HISV-1 does not benefit from reptarenavirus ZP. Furthermore, we succeeded in generating a pure HISV-1 isolate showing the virus to replicate without ZP. Immunofluorescence and ultrastructural studies demonstrate that, unlike reptarenaviruses, HISV-1 does not produce the intracellular inclusion bodies typical for the reptarenavirus-induced boid inclusion body disease (BIBD). While we observed HISV-1 to be slightly cytopathic for cultured boid cells, the histological and immunohistological investigation of HISV-positive snakes showed no evidence of a pathological effect. The histological analyses also revealed that hartmaniviruses, unlike reptarenaviruses, have a limited tissue tropism. By nucleic acid sequencing, de novo genome assembly, and phylogenetic analyses we identified additional four hartmanivirus species. Finally, we screened 71 individuals from a collection of snakes with BIBD by RT-PCR and found 44 to carry hartmaniviruses. These findings suggest that harmaniviruses are common in captive snake populations, but their relevance and pathogenic potential needs yet to be revealed.
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The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
ISSN:1553-7374
1553-7366
1553-7374
DOI:10.1371/journal.ppat.1007415