title: Complete genomic sequence of Powassan virus: evaluation of genetic elements in tick-borne versus mosquito-borne flaviviruses.
abstract: The complete nucleotide sequence of the positive-stranded RNA genome of the tick-borne flavivirus Powassan (10,839 nucleotides) was elucidated and the amino acid sequence of all viral proteins was derived. Based on this sequence as well as serological data, Powassan virus represents the most divergent member of the tick-borne serocomplex within the genus flaviviruses, family Flaviviridae. The primary nucleotide sequence and potential RNA secondary structures of the Powassan virus genome as well as the protein sequences and the reactivities of the virion with a panel of monoclonal antibodies were compared to other tick-borne and mosquito-borne flaviviruses. These analyses corroborated significant differences between tick-borne and mosquito-borne flaviviruses, but also emphasized structural elements that are conserved among both vector groups. The comparisons among tick-borne flaviviruses revealed conserved sequence elements that might represent important determinants of the tick-borne flavivirus phenotype.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Mandl
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Holzmann
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kunz
authors.forename: F X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Heinz
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D005075:Biological Evolution; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003429:Cross Reactions; D009033:Culicidae; D004669:Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D004675:Encephalitis, Tick-Borne / Q000235:genetics / Q000635:transmission; D005416:Flavivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D005814:Genes, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D016679:Genome, Viral; D007303:Insect Vectors; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013987:Ticks; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins; C065696:glycoprotein E, Flavivirus