Abstract

We report high rates of detection (35.36%, 29/82) of genogroup-I (GI) picobirnaviruses (PBVs) in non-diarrheic fecal samples from the small Indian mongoose (Urva auropunctata). In addition, we identified a novel PBV-like RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene sequence that uses an alternative mitochondrial genetic code (that of mold or invertebrate) for translation. The complete/nearly complete gene segment-2/RdRp gene sequences of seven mongoose PBV GI strains and the novel PBV-like strain were obtained by combining a modified non-specific primer-based amplification method with conventional RT-PCRs, facilitated by the inclusion of a new primer targeting the 3′-untranslated region (UTR) of PBV gene segment-2. The mongoose PBV and PBV-like strains retained the various features that are conserved in gene segment-2/RdRps of other PBVs. However, high genetic diversity was observed among the mongoose PBVs within and between host species. This is the first report on detection of PBVs in the mongoose. Molecular characterization of the PBV and PBV-like strains from a new animal species provided important insights into the various features and complex diversity of PBV gene segment-2/putative RdRps. The presence of the prokaryotic ribosomal binding site in the mongoose PBV genomes, and analysis of the novel PBV-like RdRp gene sequence that uses an alternative mitochondrial genetic code (especially that of mold) for translation corroborated recent speculations that PBVs may actually infect prokaryotic or fungal host cells.

Highlights

  • Picobirnaviruses (PBVs), members of the family Picobirnaviridae, are bi-segmented double-strandedRNA viruses that have been reported in the feces/gut contents of a wide variety of host species, and rarely in the respiratory tract of cattle, humans, monkeys, and pigs [1,2,3,4,5,6]

  • We report for the first time detection and molecular characterization of complete/nearly complete gene segment-2 (full length minus partial 30 - untranslated region (UTR)) of PBV strains from the small Indian mongoose (Urva auropunctata) on the Caribbean island of St

  • We reported high rates of detection (35.36%, 29/82) of GI PBVs in fecal samples collected from the small Indian mongoose on St

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Summary

Introduction

Picobirnaviruses (PBVs), members of the family Picobirnaviridae, are bi-segmented double-stranded. By applying a non-specific primer-based amplification method, or next-generation sequencing, it has been possible to obtain the whole genomes, or the complete/nearly complete gene segment-2 sequences of several PBV strains from various host species, providing important insights into the genetic diversity and evolution of PBVs [1,2,10,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20]. We report for the first time detection and molecular characterization of complete/nearly complete gene segment-2 (full length minus partial 30 - untranslated region (UTR)) of PBV strains from the small Indian mongoose (Urva auropunctata) on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts. We identified a novel PBV-like RdRp gene sequence that uses an alternative mitochondrial genetic code (that of mold or invertebrate) for translation

Ethics Statement
Sampling
Screening for PBVs
Nucleotide Sequencing
Sequence Analysis
Results and Discussion
Detection of PBVs in Mongooses
Analysis of Partial Gene Segment-2 of Mongoose PBV GI Strains
15 October
Conclusions
Full Text
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