title: Preliminary characterisation of Pentlands paramyxovirus-1, -2 and -3, three new paramyxoviruses of rodents.
abstract: A paramyxovirus was discovered by chance during the primary culture of grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) kidney cells from the UK. Amplification, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of part of the genome encoding a region of the RNA polymerase (L gene) confirmed that the virus was a member of the Paramyxovirinae subfamily, but that it did not partition with any of the currently recognised paramyxovirus genera and instead segregated with the unclassified rodent viruses, J-virus, Beilong virus and Tailam virus as well as paramyxoviruses recently detected in rodents in Africa. A subsequent examination of kidney samples from red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) revealed that they too harboured a paramyxovirus, but sequence analysis of the corresponding region of the L gene revealed that it was approximately 67% identical to the grey squirrel virus, suggesting the presence of a second species of virus. In addition, one of the red squirrels examined harboured a second virus with approximately 69% identity to the grey squirrel virus, but only approximately 63% identity to the other red squirrel viruses, signifying the presence of a third species of paramyxovirus. In a sample of 22 red and grey squirrels 68% of those examined were found to harbour virus suggesting that paramyxovirus infection in squirrels may be common within the UK.
authors.affiliation: Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Edinburgh EH26 0PZ, UK. Electronic address: fiona_brooks1986@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.affiliation: Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Edinburgh EH26 0PZ, UK. Electronic address: ann.wood@moredun.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Ann R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.affiliation: Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Edinburgh EH26 0PZ, UK. Electronic address: jackie.thomson@moredun.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Jackie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.affiliation: Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Edinburgh EH26 0PZ, UK. Electronic address: david.deane@moredun.ac.uk.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Deane
authors.affiliation: Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency-Weybridge, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3NB, UK. Electronic address: David.Everest@ahvla.gsi.gov.uk.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Everest
authors.affiliation: Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Edinburgh EH26 0PZ, UK. Electronic address: colin.mcinnes@moredun.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Colin J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: McInnes
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000235:genetics; D016679:Genome, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D007668:Kidney / Q000166:cytology / Q000821:virology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018098:Paramyxovirinae / Q000145:classification* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010802:Phylogeny; D012589:Sciuridae / Q000821:virology*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases
keywords: Paramyxoviruses; Phylogenetics; Squirrels