Establishment and characterization of a novel cell line derived from spotted sea bass Lateolabrax maculatus and its susceptibilities to iridoviruses

Abstract

The spotted sea bass (Lateolabrax maculatus), which holds significant commercial value, is extensively cultivated in China, Japan, and Southeast Asian countries. This study reports the establishment and characterization of a novel continuous cell line, designated as LMK cells, derived from the kidney tissue of spotted sea bass, The LMK cell line, primarily composed of epithelial-like cells, has been successfully subcultured in Medium 199 supplemented with 10 % fetal bovine serum (FBS) for over 60 passages. Mitochondrial genome sequencing and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene amplification verified the origin of the LMK cells from L. maculatus, distinguishing them from L. japonicus. Optimal culture conditions for LMK cells at passage 35 were determined to be 10 % FBS at 27 °C. Chromosomal analysis indicated that the cell line possesses 48 chromosomes. To assess viral susceptibility, LMK cells were exposed to the red sea bream iridovirus and largemouth bass ranavirus. Both iridoviruses induced cytopathic effects within 3 days post-infection and triggered immune-related gene responses. This study demonstrates that the LMK cell line is a valuable resource for molecular, virological, and immunological research in L.maculatus and other sea bass species.