title: Genome Characterization, Prevalence and Distribution of a Macula-Like Virus from Apis mellifera and Varroa destructor.
abstract: Around 14 distinct virus species-complexes have been detected in honeybees, each with one or more strains or sub-species. Here we present the initial characterization of an entirely new virus species-complex discovered in honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) and varroa mite (Varroa destructor) samples from Europe and the USA. The virus has a naturally poly-adenylated RNA genome of about 6500 nucleotides with a genome organization and sequence similar to the Tymoviridae (Tymovirales; Tymoviridae), a predominantly plant-infecting virus family. Literature and laboratory analyses indicated that the virus had not previously been described. The virus is very common in French apiaries, mirroring the results from an extensive Belgian survey, but could not be detected in equally-extensive Swedish and Norwegian bee disease surveys. The virus appears to be closely linked to varroa, with the highest prevalence found in varroa samples and a clear seasonal distribution peaking in autumn, coinciding with the natural varroa population development. Sub-genomic RNA analyses show that bees are definite hosts, while varroa is a possible host and likely vector. The tentative name of Bee Macula-like virus (BeeMLV) is therefore proposed. A second, distantly related Tymoviridae-like virus was also discovered in varroa transcriptomes, tentatively named Varroa Tymo-like virus (VTLV).
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA 16802, USA. joachim.de.miranda@slu.se.|School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK. joachim.de.miranda@slu.se.|Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala 750 07, Sweden. joachim.de.miranda@slu.se.
authors.forename: Joachim R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: de Miranda
authors.affiliation: Bee Research Laboratory, US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA. scott.cornman@gmail.com.
authors.forename: R Scott
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Cornman
authors.affiliation: Bee Research Laboratory, US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA. jay.evans@ars.usda.gov.
authors.forename: Jay D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala 750 07, Sweden. emilia.semberg@slu.se.
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Semberg
authors.affiliation: Bee Research Department, National Center for Agricultural Research and Extension, Baqa' 19381, Jordan. drnizarh@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nizar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Haddad
authors.affiliation: Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern CH-3001, Switzerland. peter.neumann@vetsuisse.unibe.ch.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.affiliation: Agroscope, Bee Research Center, Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, Bern CH-3003, Switzerland. laurent.gauthier@agroscope.admin.ch.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gauthier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D059646:Genome Size; D016679:Genome, Viral; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D057077:Varroidae / Q000821:virology*; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*
keywords: Apis mellifera; Maculavirus; Marafivirus; Tymoviridae; Tymovirus; Varroa destructor; honeybee; virus