A Novel Rubi-Like Virus in the Pacific Electric Ray (Tetronarce californica) Reveals the Complex Evolutionary History of the Matonaviridae.

Rebecca M. Grimwood,Edward C. Holmes,Jemma L. Geoghegan

doi:10.3390/v13040585

Rebecca M. Grimwood, Edward C. Holmes + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/v13040585

Copy DOI

Abstract

Rubella virus (RuV) is the causative agent of rubella (“German measles”) and remains a global health concern. Until recently, RuV was the only known member of the genus Rubivirus and the only virus species classified within the Matonaviridae family of positive-sense RNA viruses. Recently, two new rubella-like matonaviruses, Rustrela virus and Ruhugu virus, have been identified in several mammalian species, along with more divergent viruses in fish and reptiles. To screen for the presence of additional novel rubella-like viruses, we mined published transcriptome data using genome sequences from Rubella, Rustrela, and Ruhugu viruses as baits. From this, we identified a novel rubella-like virus in a transcriptome of Tetronarce californica—order Torpediniformes (Pacific electric ray)—that is more closely related to mammalian Rustrela virus than to the divergent fish matonavirus and indicative of a complex pattern of cross-species virus transmission. Analysis of host reads confirmed that the sample analysed was indeed from a Pacific electric ray, and two other viruses identified in this animal, from the Arenaviridae and Reoviridae, grouped with other fish viruses. These findings indicate that the evolutionary history of the Matonaviridae is more complex than previously thought and highlights the vast number of viruses that remain undiscovered.

Highlights

Rubella virus (RuV) (Matonaviridae: Rubivirus) is a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus [1]
We identified a complete structural polyprotein and several fragments of the RNAdependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) from a divergent rubi-like virus that we tentatively named Tetronarce matonavirus
Screening of Rustrela, Ruhugu, and Rubella 1A virus sequences against the TSA database revealed matches to a contig of 3006 nucleotides (1001 amino acids) from a transcriptome of the electric organ of a female Pacific electric ray (Tetronarce californica) [27], ranging in sequence identity from 37.6 to 44.9% at the protein level

Summary

Introduction

Rubella virus (RuV) (Matonaviridae: Rubivirus) is a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus [1]. It is best known as the causative agent of rubella, sometimes known as “German measles”—a relatively mild measles-like illness [2]. RuV can result in more severe disease, including complications such as miscarriage or congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) if contracted during pregnancy [3,4]. Despite the availability of effective vaccines, including the combination measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine [5], they are deployed in only around half of the world’s countries [6]. The disease rubella was first described in 1814 [8], and until recently, RuV was the only known species within the genus Rubivirus, the only genus in the family Matonaviridae [9]

Methods

Results

Conclusion