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A new densovirus isolated from the mosquito Culex pipiens (Diptera: culicidae)
F X Jousset1, E Baquerizo, M Bergoin
1Unité de Virologie Moléculaire, Station de Recherches de Pathologie Comparée, INRA-UA CNRS 2209, 303080, Saint Christol-lez-Alès, France. jousset@ensam.inra.fr
Abstract:
We have isolated from a laboratory strain of Culex pipiens in which abnormal larval mortality occurred a small icosahedral nonenveloped DNA virus sharing the main biological and biophysical properties of densoviruses (DNVs). Unlike DNVs isolated previously from Aedes species, i.e. the AaeDNV and the AalDNV (Afanasiev, B.N., Galyov, E. E., Buchatsky, L.P., Kozlov, Y.V., 1991. Nucleotide sequence and genomic organization of Aedes densonucleosis virus. Virology 185, 323-336; Boublik, Y., Jousset, F.-X., Bergoin, M., 1994. Complete nucleotide sequence and genomic organization of the Aedes albopictus Parvovirus (AaPV) pathogenic for Aedes aegypti larvae. Virology 200, 752-763), this mosquito DNV named CpDNV possesses a genome of 6 kb separately encapsidated in stoichiometric proportion as 'plus' and 'minus' strands. The lack of sequence homology between the CpDNV and the AalDNV genome and of antigenic cross-reactivity between their capsid polypeptides indicates that these two mosquito DNVs are phylogenetically distant. In contrast, the CpDNV appears to be related to the Junonia coenia densovirus (JcDNV) at both serological and genomic levels.
Insights
A new mosquito densovirus (CpDNV) was identified in Culex pipiens, distinct from Aedes densoviruses (AeDNVs). This finding expands our understanding of densovirus diversity and mosquito-pathogen interactions.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Entomology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Densovuses (DNVs) are small, nonenveloped DNA viruses.
- Previous DNV research primarily focused on Aedes species.
- Culex pipiens mosquitoes are significant vectors of disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To isolate and characterize a novel DNV from a laboratory strain of Culex pipiens exhibiting larval mortality.
- To compare the biological and biophysical properties of the isolated DNV with known DNVs.
- To determine the phylogenetic relationship of the new DNV to other mosquito-associated DNVs.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and purification of the virus from infected Culex pipiens larvae.
- Electron microscopy for viral morphology assessment.
- Genome analysis including size determination and strand separation.
- Serological assays for antigenic cross-reactivity.
- Sequence homology analysis.
Main Results:
- A novel icosahedral, nonenveloped DNA virus, designated CpDNV, was isolated.
- CpDNV possesses a 6 kb genome encapsidated as separate 'plus' and 'minus' strands.
- CpDNV showed no sequence homology or antigenic cross-reactivity with Aedes albopictus densovirus (AalDNV).
- CpDNV demonstrated serological and genomic relatedness to Junonia coenia densovirus (JcDNV).
Conclusions:
- CpDNV represents a distinct lineage of mosquito densovirus, phylogenetically distant from previously characterized AeDNVs.
- The findings highlight the diversity of DNVs in different mosquito genera.
- CpDNV may be a significant pathogen in Culex pipiens populations.