Characteristics of a new birnavirus associated with a warm-water fish cell line

Citation

John KR & Richards R (1999) Characteristics of a new birnavirus associated with a warm-water fish cell line. Journal of General Virology, 80 (8), pp. 2061-2065. http://vir.sgmjournals.org/content/80/8/2061.abstract

Abstract
A warm-water fish cell line developed from blotched snakehead caudal peduncle (BSN) was found to have persistent birnavirus infection. Purified virus particles were of icosahedral shape and had 57±1·6 nm diameter. The BSN virus was resistant to 5-iodo-2′-deoxyuridine and induced yellowish-green cytoplasmic inclusions when stained with acridine orange. The virus was resistant to chloroform, acid and alkaline pH and heat treatment at 56 °C for 2 h. Purified virions had a buoyant density of 1·33 g/ml in CsCl and contained two genomic segments with molecular masses of 2·56×106 and 2·00×106 Da and four structural polypeptides of 112 (polyprotein, PP), 91 (VP1), 44 (VP2) and 37 (VP3) kDa. Reciprocal β cross-neutralization tests incorporating four classical strains of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) (WB, Sp, Ab and TV-1) and the BSN virus established the complete serological distinctness of the virus from IPNV. Considering the uniqueness of the virus, the name blotched snakehead virus is proposed for this agent.

Journal
Journal of General Virology: Volume 80, Issue 8

People

Professor Randolph Richards

Emeritus Professor, Institute of Aquaculture