Isolation and characterization of a new insect flavivirus from Aedes albopictus and Aedes flavopictus mosquitoes in Japan

Virology. 2009 Aug 15;391(1):119-29. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2009.06.025. Epub 2009 Jul 5.

Abstract

We isolated a new flavivirus from Aedes albopictus mosquito and a related species in Japan. The virus, designated Aedes flavivirus (AEFV), only replicated in a mosquito cell line and produced a mild cytopathic effect. The AEFV genome was positive-sense, single-stranded RNA, 11,064 nucleotides in length and contained a single open reading frame encoding a polyprotein of 3341 amino acids with 5' and 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) of 96 and 945 nucleotides, respectively. Genetic and phylogenetic analyses classified AEFV with the insect flavivirus, but distinct from Cell fusing agent (CFA), Kamiti river virus and Culex flavivirus. Interestingly, a partial sequence of AEFV showed significant similarity to that of Cell silent agent (CSA), the insect flavivirus-related nucleotide sequence integrated in the genome of A. albopictus. These results suggest that AEFV is a new member of the insect flaviviruses, which are intimately associated with Aedes mosquitoes and may share a common origin with CSA.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aedes / virology*
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Cell Line
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Cricetinae
  • Flavivirus / classification
  • Flavivirus / genetics*
  • Flavivirus / isolation & purification*
  • Genome, Viral
  • Insect Viruses / classification
  • Insect Viruses / genetics*
  • Insect Viruses / isolation & purification*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • RNA, Viral / genetics
  • Vero Cells

Substances

  • RNA, Viral

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AB488408
  • GENBANK/AB488409
  • GENBANK/AB488410
  • GENBANK/AB488411
  • GENBANK/AB488412
  • GENBANK/AB488413
  • GENBANK/AB488414
  • GENBANK/AB488415
  • GENBANK/AB488416
  • GENBANK/AB488417
  • GENBANK/AB488418
  • GENBANK/AB488419
  • GENBANK/AB488420
  • GENBANK/AB488421
  • GENBANK/AB488422
  • GENBANK/AB488423
  • GENBANK/AB488424
  • GENBANK/AB488425
  • GENBANK/AB488426
  • GENBANK/AB488427
  • GENBANK/AB488428
  • GENBANK/AB488431
  • GENBANK/AB488432
  • GENBANK/AB488433
  • GENBANK/AB488434
  • GENBANK/AB488435
  • GENBANK/AB488436
  • GENBANK/AB488437
  • GENBANK/AB488438
  • GENBANK/AB488439
  • GENBANK/AB488440