title: Molecular and biological characterization of a Cypovirus from the mosquito Culex restuans.
abstract: A cypovirus from the mosquito Culex restuans (named CrCPV) was isolated and its biology, morphology, and molecular characteristics were investigated. CrCPV is characterized by small (0.1-1.0 microm), irregularly shaped inclusion bodies that are multiply embedded. Laboratory studies demonstrated that divalent cations influenced transmission of CrCPV to Culex quinquefasciatus larvae; magnesium enhanced CrCPV transmission by approximately 30% while calcium inhibited transmission. CrCPV is the second cypovirus from a mosquito that has been confirmed by using molecular analysis. CrCPV has a genome composed of 10 dsRNA segments with an electropherotype similar to the recently discovered UsCPV-17 from the mosquito Uranotaenia sapphirina, but distinct from the lepidopteran cypoviruses BmCPV-1 (Bombyx mori) and TnCPV-15 (Trichoplusia ni). Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence analysis of CrCPV segment 10 (polyhedrin) suggests that CrCPV is closely related (83% nucleotide sequence identity and 87% amino acid sequence identity) to the newly characterized UsCPV-17 but is unrelated to the 16 remaining CPV species from lepidopteran hosts. A comparison of the terminal segment regions of CrCPV and UsCPV-17, an additional method for differentiating various Cypovirus species, revealed a high level of conservation. Therefore, we propose that CrCPV is a member of the Cypovirus-17 group and designate this species as CrCPV-17.
authors.affiliation: ARS, CMAVE, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA. tgreen@gainesville.usda.ufl.edu
authors.forename: Terry B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shapiro
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Shujing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Peter P C
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Mertens
authors.forename: Gerry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carner
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Becnel
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003465:Culex / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D016679:Genome, Viral; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012087:Reoviridae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral