Molecular characterization and isolation of a new member of the Flaviviridae, Mogiana tick virus (MGTV), from the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus microplus, in Brazil

• Grant number: 12/06374-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: June 01, 2012 - August 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Isabel Kinney Ferreira de Miranda Santos
• Grantee: Isabel Kinney Ferreira de Miranda Santos
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Analyses of a salivary gland transcriptome of the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus microplus, revealed expressed sequence tags similar to the nonstructural proteins NS3 and NS5 of viruses of the Flaviviridae. This similarity was validated by bioinformatics and the virus was isolated in cell culture. The isolated virus replicated in invertebrate and vertebrate cells. Phylogenetic analysis identified the virus as more related to Tamana bat virus than to other viruses from the genus Flavivirus. Molecular detection of these sequences indicate that the new putative Flaviviridae member is present in many tick samples collected in different farms located in the Midwest, Southeast, and South of Brazil. We propose that this new virus be designated Mogiana tick virus (MGTV). This is the first report of the presence of Flavivirus transcripts in R. microplus ticks. The transmission dynamics of this new tick virus must be understood in order to monitor emerging tick-borne zoonotic viral diseases. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MARUYAMA, SANDRA REGINA; CASTRO-JORGE, LUIZA ANTUNES; CHAVES RIBEIRO, JOSE MARCOS; GARDINASSI, LUIZ GUSTAVO; GARCIA, GUSTAVO ROCHA; BRANDAO, LUCINDA GIAMPIETRO; RODRIGUES, ALINE REZENDE; OKADA, MARCOS ITUO; ABRAO, EMILIANA PEREIRA; FERREIRA, BEATRIZ ROSSETTI; et al. Characterisation of divergent flavivirus NS3 and NS5 protein sequences detected in Rhipicephalus microplus ticks from Brazil. Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, v. 109, n. 1, p. 38+, FEB 2014. (12/06374-7)

VILLA, ERIKA C.; MARUYAMA, SANDRA R.; DE MIRANDA-SANTOS, ISABEL K. F.; PALACIOS, GUSTAVO; LADNER, JASON T.. Complete Coding Genome Sequence for Mogiana Tick Virus, a Jingmenvirus Isolated from Ticks in Brazil. MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS, v. 5, n. 18, MAY 2017. (12/06374-7)