Characterisation of divergent flavivirus NS3 and NS5 protein sequences detected in Rhipicephalus microplus ticks from Brazil

Author(s):Show less -

Maruyama, Sandra Regina ^[1] ; Castro-Jorge, Luiza Antunes ^[1] ; Chaves Ribeiro, Jose Marcos ^[2] ; Gardinassi, Luiz Gustavo ^[1] ; Garcia, Gustavo Rocha ^[1] ; Brandao, Lucinda Giampietro ^{[1, 3]} ; Rodrigues, Aline Rezende ^{[4, 5]} ; Okada, Marcos Ituo ^{[3, 6]} ; Abrao, Emiliana Pereira ^[1] ; Ferreira, Beatriz Rossetti ^[7] ; Lopes da Fonseca, Benedito Antonio ^[1] ; Ferreira de Miranda-Santos, Isabel Kinney ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med Ribeirao Preto, BR-14049 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[2] NIAID, NIH, Rockville, MD - USA

^[3] Fac Tecnol, Aracatuba, SP - Brazil

^[4] Vallee SA, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[5] Laticinios Vale Buritis, Buritis, MG - Brazil

^[6] Vetmais Med Anim, Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[7] Univ Sao Paulo, Escola Enfermagem Ribeirao Preto, BR-14049 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz; v. 109, n. 1, p. 38+, FEB 2014.
• Web of Science Citations: 18

Abstract

Transcripts similar to those that encode the nonstructural (NS) proteins NS3 and NS5 from flaviviruses were found in a salivary gland (SG) complementary DNA (cDNA) library from the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus.Tick extracts were cultured with cells to enable the isolation of viruses capable of replicating in cultured invertebrate and vertebrate cells. Deep sequencing of the viral RNA isolated from culture supernatants provided the complete coding sequences for the NS3 and NS5 proteins and their molecular characterisation confirmed similarity with the NS3 and NS5 sequences from other flaviviruses. Despite this similarity, phylogenetic analyses revealed that this potentially novel virus may be a highly divergent member of the genus Flavivirus. Interestingly, we detected the divergent NS3 and NS5 sequences in ticks collected from several dairy farms widely distributed throughout three regions of Brazil. This is the first report of flavivirus-like transcripts inR. microplus ticks. This novel virus is a potential arbovirus because it replicated in arthropod and mammalian cells; furthermore, it was detected in a cDNA library from tick SGs and therefore may be present in tick saliva. It is important to determine whether and by what means this potential virus is transmissible and to monitor the virus as a potential emerging tick-borne zoonotic pathogen. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/06374-7 - Molecular characterization and isolation of a new member of the Flaviviridae, Mogiana tick virus (MGTV), from the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus microplus, in Brazil
• Grantee: Isabel Kinney Ferreira de Miranda Santos
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants