title: Expanding the host range of small insect RNA viruses: Providence virus (Carmotetraviridae) infects and replicates in a human tissue culture cell line.
abstract: Tetraviruses are small, positive (+ve)-sense ssRNA viruses that infect the midgut cells of lepidopteran larvae. Providence virus (PrV) is the only member of the family Carmotetraviridae (previously Tetraviridae). PrV particles exhibit the characteristic tetraviral T=4 icosahedral symmetry, but PrV is distinct from other tetraviruses with respect to genome organization and viral non-structural proteins. Currently, PrV is the only tetravirus known to infect and replicate in lepidopteran cell culture lines. In this report we demonstrate, using immunofluorescence microscopy, that PrV infects and replicates in a human tissue culture cell line (HeLa), producing infectious virus particles. We also provide evidence for PrV replication in vitro in insect, mammalian and plant cell-free systems. This study challenges the long-held view that tetraviruses have a narrow host range confined to one or a few lepidopteran species and highlights the need to consider the potential for apparently non-infectious viruses to be transferred to new hosts in the laboratory.
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rhodes University, PO Box 94, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa.
authors: Meesbah
authors: M
authors: Jiwaji
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rhodes University, PO Box 94, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa.
authors: James Roswell
authors: JR
authors: Short
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rhodes University, PO Box 94, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa.
authors: Rosemary Ann
authors: RA
authors: Dorrington
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D058507:Host Specificity; D006801:Humans; D007304:Insect Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D007313:Insecta / Q000821:virology; D008322:Mammals / Q000821:virology; D012328:RNA Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D014779:Virus Replication