title: Isolation and characterization of a novel alphanodavirus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nodaviridae is a family of non-enveloped isometric viruses with bipartite positive-sense RNA genomes. The Nodaviridae family consists of two genera: alpha- and beta-nodavirus. Alphanodaviruses usually infect insect cells. Some commercially available insect cell lines have been latently infected by Alphanodaviruses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A non-enveloped small virus of approximately 30 nm in diameter was discovered co-existing with a recombinant Helicoverpa armigera single nucleopolyhedrovirus (HearNPV) in Hz-AM1 cells. Genome sequencing and phylogenetic assays indicate that this novel virus belongs to the genus of alphanodavirus in the family Nodaviridae and was designated HzNV. HzNV possesses a RNA genome that contains two segments. RNA1 is 3038 nt long and encodes a 110 kDa viral protein termed protein A. The 1404 nt long RNA2 encodes a 44 kDa protein, which exhibits a high homology with coat protein precursors of other alphanodaviruses. HzNV virions were located in the cytoplasm, in association with cytoplasmic membrane structures. The host susceptibility test demonstrated that HzNV was able to infect various cell lines ranging from insect cells to mammalian cells. However, only Hz-AM1 appeared to be fully permissive for HzNV, as the mature viral coat protein essential for HzNV particle formation was limited to Hz-AM1 cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A novel alphanodavirus, which is 30 nm in diameter and with a limited host range, was discovered in Hz-AM1 cells.
authors.affiliation: State Key Lab of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China.
authors.forename: Huimin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Haitao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shili
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Zhengli
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Xinwen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016367:Baculoviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002460:Cell Line; D058507:Host Specificity; D007313:Insecta / Q000821:virology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D030381:Nodaviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins