title: Characterization of a new picornavirus isolated from the freshwater fish Lepomis macrochirus.
abstract: The freshwater fish Lepomis macrochirus (bluegill) is common to North American waters, and important both ecologically and as a sport fish. In 2001 an unknown virus was isolated from bluegills following a bluegill fish kill. This virus was identified as a picornavirus [termed bluegill picornavirus (BGPV)] and a diagnostic reverse transcriptase PCR was developed. A survey of bluegills in Wisconsin waters showed the presence of BGPV in 5 of 17 waters sampled, suggesting the virus is widespread in bluegill populations. Experimental infections of bluegills confirmed that BGPV can cause morbidity and mortality in bluegills. Molecular characterization of BGPV revealed several distinct genome characteristics, the most unusual of which is the presence of a short poly(C) tract in the 3' UTR. Additionally, the genome encodes a polyprotein lacking a leader peptide and a VP0 maturation cleavage site, and is predicted to encode two distinct 2A proteins. Sequence comparison showed that the virus is most closely related to a phylogenetic cluster of picornaviruses that includes the genera Aquamavirus, Avihepatovirus and Parechovirus. However, it is distinct enough, for example sharing only about 38% sequence identity to the parechoviruses in the 3D region, that it may represent a new genus in the family Picornaviridae.
authors: Department of Microbiology, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 1725 State Street, La Crosse, WI, 54601, USA.
authors: Marisa
authors: M
authors: Barbknecht
authors: Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 2100 Main Street, Stevens Point, WI, 54481, USA.
authors: Sol
authors: S
authors: Sepsenwol
authors: US Fish and Wildlife Service, La Crosse Fish Health Center, 555 Lester Avenue, Onalaska, WI, 54650, USA.
authors: Eric
authors: E
authors: Leis
authors: US Geological Survey-Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, WI, 54603, USA.|US Fish and Wildlife Service, La Crosse Fish Health Center, 555 Lester Avenue, Onalaska, WI, 54650, USA.
authors: Maren
authors: M
authors: Tuttle-Lau
authors: US Geological Survey-Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, WI, 54603, USA.
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Gaikowski
authors: Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey, GU24 0NF, UK.
authors: Nick J
authors: NJ
authors: Knowles
authors: US Fish and Wildlife Service, La Crosse Fish Health Center, 555 Lester Avenue, Onalaska, WI, 54650, USA.
authors: Becky
authors: B
authors: Lasee
authors: Department of Microbiology, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 1725 State Street, La Crosse, WI, 54601, USA.
authors: Michael A
authors: MA
authors: Hoffman
mesh_terms: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000821:virology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010473:Perciformes / Q000821:virology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D010849:Picornaviridae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010850:Picornaviridae Infections / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014922:Wisconsin
chemical_list: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D014764:Viral Proteins