title: Double-stranded RNA virus in Korean isolate IH-2 of Trichomonas vaginalis.
abstract: In this study, we describe Korean isolates of Trichomonas vaginalis infected with double-stranded (ds) RNA virus (TVV). One T. vaginalis isolate infected with TVV IH-2 evidenced weak pathogenicity in the mouse assay coupled with the persistent presence of a dsRNA, thereby indicating a hypovirulence effect of dsRNA in T. vaginalis. Cloning and sequence analysis results revealed that the genomic dsRNA of TVV IH-2 was 4,647 bp in length and evidenced a sequence identity of 80% with the previously-described TVV 1-1 and 1-5, but only a 42% identity with TVV 2-1 and 3 isolates. It harbored 2 overlapping open reading frames of the putative capsid protein and dsRNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). As previously observed in the TVV isolates 1-1 and 1-5, a conserved ribosomal slippage heptamer (CCUUUUU) and its surrounding sequence context within the consensus 14-nt overlap implied the gene expression of a capsid protein-RdRp fusion protein, occurring as the result of a potential ribosomal frameshift event. The phylogenetic analysis of RdRp showed that the Korean TVV IH-2 isolate formed a compact group with TVV 1-1 and 1-5 isolates, which was divergent from TVV 2-1, 3 and other viral isolates classified as members of the Giardiavirus genus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Korea. jwkim@inha.ac.kr
authors.forename: Jong Wook
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Pyung Rim
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Myung Ki
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Eun Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D018965:Frameshifting, Ribosomal; D019198:Giardiavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D010802:Phylogeny; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000235:genetics*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017385:Sequence Homology; D014245:Trichomonas Infections / Q000821:virology*; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000821:virology*; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase