title: Solenopsis invicta virus-1A (SINV-1A): distinct species or genotype of SINV-1?
abstract: We have cloned and sequenced a 2845 bp cDNA representing the 3'-end of either a new picorna-like virus species or genotype of Solenopsis invicta virus-1 (SINV-1). Analysis of the nucleotide sequence revealed 1 large open reading frame. The amino acid sequence of the translated open reading frame was most identical to structural proteins of SINV-1 (97%), followed by the Kashmir bee virus (KBV, 30%), and acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV, 29%). A PCR-based survey for SINV-1 and the new species or genotype (tentatively named S. invicta virus-1A, SINV-1A) using RNA extracts of S. invicta collected around Gainesville, Florida, revealed a mean colony infestation rate of 25% by SINV-1 and 55% by SINV-1A. Both SINV-1 and SINV-1A were found to co-infect 17.5% of the nests surveyed. Although the data preclude definitive species or genotype assignment, there is no doubt that SINV-1A is distinct from SINV-1, identifiable, and infects S. invicta. We provide a simple RT-PCR technique capable of discerning SINV-1 and SINV-1A infection of S. invicta.
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology, USDA-ARS, 1600 SW 23rd Drive, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA. svalles@gainesville.usda.ufl.edu
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Valles
authors.forename: Charles A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Strong
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001000:Ants / Q000821:virology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D016679:Genome, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D010849:Picornaviridae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D010850:Picornaviridae Infections; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid