title: Genetic characterization, molecular epidemiology, and phylogenetic relationships of insect-specific viruses in the taxon Negevirus.
abstract: The recently described taxon Negevirus is comprised of a diverse group of insect-specific viruses isolated from mosquitoes and phlebotomine sandflies. In this study, a comprehensive genetic characterization, molecular, epidemiological and evolutionary analyses were conducted on nearly full-length sequences of 91 new negevirus isolates obtained in Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Panama, USA and Nepal. We demonstrated that these arthropod restricted viruses are clustered in two major phylogenetic groups with origins related to three plant virus genera (Cilevirus, Higrevirus and Blunevirus). Molecular analyses demonstrated that specific host correlations are not present with most negeviruses; instead, high genetic variability, wide host-range, and cross-species transmission were noted. The data presented here also revealed the existence of five novel insect-specific viruses falling into two arthropod-restrictive virus taxa, previously proposed as distinct genera, designated Nelorpivirus and Sandewavirus. Our results provide a better understanding of the molecular epidemiology, evolution, taxonomy and stability of this group of insect-restricted viruses.
authors.affiliation: Center for Technological Innovation, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ministry of Health, Ananindeua, Para, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcio R T
authors.initials: MRT
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.affiliation: Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales - PECET - SIU-Sede de Investigación Universitaria - Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia; Grupo de Investigación en Sistemática Molecular-GSM, Facultad de Ciencias,Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, sede Medellín, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: María Angélica
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Contreras-Gutierrez
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, United States; Center for Tropical Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, United States; Department of Arbovirology and Hemorrhagic Fevers, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ministry of Health, Ananindeua, Para, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hilda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guzman
authors.affiliation: Department of Arbovirology and Hemorrhagic Fevers, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ministry of Health, Ananindeua, Para, Brazil.
authors.forename: Livia C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Vale S.A. - Projeto Ferro Carajás S11D, Canaã dos Carajás, Para, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mayla Feitoza
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Barbirato
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, United States.
authors.forename: Chelsea
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Savit
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Balta
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Investigación en Sistemática Molecular-GSM, Facultad de Ciencias,Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, sede Medellín, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uribe
authors.affiliation: Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales - PECET - SIU-Sede de Investigación Universitaria - Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia; Grupo de Investigación en Sistemática Molecular-GSM, Facultad de Ciencias,Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, sede Medellín, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vivero
authors.affiliation: Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales - PECET - SIU-Sede de Investigación Universitaria - Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia; Grupo de Investigación en Sistemática Molecular-GSM, Facultad de Ciencias,Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, sede Medellín, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Juan David
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Suaza
authors.affiliation: Department of Arbovirology and Hemorrhagic Fevers, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ministry of Health, Ananindeua, Para, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hamilton
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Arbovirology and Hemorrhagic Fevers, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ministry of Health, Ananindeua, Para, Brazil.
authors.forename: Joaquin P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Nunes Neto
authors.affiliation: Vale S.A. - Projeto Ferro Carajás S11D, Canaã dos Carajás, Para, Brazil.
authors.forename: Valeria L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Center for Technological Innovation, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ministry of Health, Ananindeua, Para, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sandro Patroca
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Center for Technological Innovation, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ministry of Health, Ananindeua, Para, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jedson F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.affiliation: Center for Technological Innovation, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ministry of Health, Ananindeua, Para, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo Santo
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Arbovirology and Hemorrhagic Fevers, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ministry of Health, Ananindeua, Para, Brazil.
authors.forename: Poliana
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: da Silva Lemos
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0645, United States.
authors.forename: Thomas G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0645, United States.
authors.forename: Steven G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Widen
authors.affiliation: Department of Arbovirology and Hemorrhagic Fevers, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ministry of Health, Ananindeua, Para, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedro F C
authors.initials: PFC
authors.lastname: Vasconcelos
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06520, United States.
authors.forename: Durland
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fish
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, United States; Center for Tropical Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, United States; Department of Arbovirology and Hemorrhagic Fevers, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ministry of Health, Ananindeua, Para, Brazil. Electronic address: nivasila@utmb.edu.
authors.forename: Nikos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vasilakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, United States; Center for Tropical Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, United States; Department of Arbovirology and Hemorrhagic Fevers, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ministry of Health, Ananindeua, Para, Brazil. Electronic address: rtesh@utmb.edu.
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Tesh
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000821:virology*; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics; D016679:Genome, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D042822:Genomic Instability / Q000235:genetics; D058507:Host Specificity; D007304:Insect Viruses / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D012328:RNA Viruses / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: Insect-specific viruses; Negevirus; Nelorpivirus genus; Sandewavirus genus; Virus diversity