Rana catesbeiana virus Z (RCV-Z): A novel pathogenic ranavirus

Sai Majji, Scott LaPatra, Scott M. Long, Robert Sample, Locke Bryan, Allan Sinning, V. Gregory Chinchar

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

52 Scopus citations

Abstract

A virus, designated Rana catesbeiana virus Z (RCV-Z), was isolated from the visceral tissue of moribund tadpoles of the North American bullfrog Rana catesbeiana. SDS-PAGE (sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) analysis of viral proteins and sequence analysis of the amino terminal end of the major capsid protein showed that RCV-Z was similar to frog virus 3 (FV3) and other ranaviruses isolated from anurans and fish. However, analysis of restriction fragment profiles following digestion of viral genomic DNA with XbaI and BamHI indicated that RCV-Z was markedly different from FV3. Moreover, in contrast to FV3, RCV-Z contained a full-length copy of the viral homolog of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 alpha (eIF-2α). Experimental infection of bullfrog tadpoles with FV3 and RCV-Z demonstrated that RCV-Z was much more pathogenic than FV3, and that prior infection with FV3 protected them from subsequent RCV-Z induced mortality. Collectively, these results suggest that RCV-Z may represent a novel species of ranavirus capable of infecting frogs and that possession of a viral eIF-2α homolog (vIF-2α) correlates with enhanced virulence.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1-11
Number of pages11
JournalDiseases of Aquatic Organisms
Volume73
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 21 2006
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Frog virus 3
  • Iridovirus
  • Rana catesbeiana virus Z
  • Ranavirus
  • Virulence
  • eiF-2α homolog

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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