Preliminary characterisation of Pentlands paramyxovirus-1, -2 and -3, three new paramyxoviruses of rodents

• Published in: Veterinary microbiology Vol. 170; no. 3-4; pp. 391 - 397
• Main Authors: Brooks, Fiona, Wood, Ann R., Thomson, Jackie, Deane, David, Everest, David J., McInnes, Colin J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 04-06-2014
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases - genetics; Genome, Viral - genetics; Kidney - cytology; Kidney - virology; Molecular Sequence Data; Paramyxovirinae - classification; Paramyxovirinae - enzymology; Paramyxovirinae - genetics; Paramyxovirinae - ultrastructure; Paramyxovirus; Paramyxoviruses; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; Sciuridae - virology; Sciurus carolinensis; Sciurus vulgaris; Sequence Alignment; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; Squirrels; United Kingdom; Phylogenetics; Squirrels; Paramyxoviruses
• ISSN: 0378-1135; 1873-2542
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2014.02.010

A paramyxovirus was discovered by chance during the primary culture of grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) kidney cells from the UK. Amplification, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of part of the genome encoding a region of the RNA polymerase (L gene) confirmed that the virus was a member of the Paramyxovirinae subfamily, but that it did not partition with any of the currently recognised paramyxovirus genera and instead segregated with the unclassified rodent viruses, J-virus, Beilong virus and Tailam virus as well as paramyxoviruses recently detected in rodents in Africa. A subsequent examination of kidney samples from red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) revealed that they too harboured a paramyxovirus, but sequence analysis of the corresponding region of the L gene revealed that it was approximately 67% identical to the grey squirrel virus, suggesting the presence of a second species of virus. In addition, one of the red squirrels examined harboured a second virus with approximately 69% identity to the grey squirrel virus, but only approximately 63% identity to the other red squirrel viruses, signifying the presence of a third species of paramyxovirus. In a sample of 22 red and grey squirrels 68% of those examined were found to harbour virus suggesting that paramyxovirus infection in squirrels may be common within the UK.