Abstract
BackgroundVesiviruses in the family Caliciviridae infect a broad range of animal hosts including mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles. The vesivirus Cro1 strains were isolated from diseased snakes in the San Diego zoo in 1978 and reported as the first caliciviruses found in reptiles. The goal of this study was to characterize the Cro1 strain 780032I that was isolated in cell culture from a rock rattlesnake (Crotalus lepidus) in the original outbreak.ResultsWe re-amplified the original virus stock in Vero cells, and determined its full-length genome sequence. The Cro1 genome is 8296 nucleotides (nt) in length and has a typical vesivirus organization, with three open reading frames (ORF), ORF1 (5643 nt), ORF2 (2121 nt), and ORF3 (348 nt) encoding a nonstructural polyprotein, the major capsid protein precursor, and a minor structural protein, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of the full-length genome sequence revealed that the Cro1 virus clustered most closely with the VESV species of the genus Vesivirus, but was genetically distinct (82-83% identities with closest strains).ConclusionsThis is the first description of a full-length genome sequence from a reptile calicivirus (Cro1). The availability of the Cro1 genome sequence should facilitate investigation of the molecular mechanisms involved in Cro1 virus evolution and host range.
Highlights
Vesiviruses in the family Caliciviridae infect a broad range of animal hosts including mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles
Crotalus 1 (Cro1) virus stocks obtained from snake samples collected during the original outbreak in the San Diego Zoo were examined for their ability to grow in cell culture following decades of storage at −80°C
Virus sample #780032I obtained from a Rock rattlesnake (Crotalus lepidus) showed efficient growth in Vero cells (CCL-81, ATCC, Manassas, VA)
Summary
Vesiviruses in the family Caliciviridae infect a broad range of animal hosts including mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles. The vesivirus Cro strains were isolated from diseased snakes in the San Diego zoo in 1978 and reported as the first caliciviruses found in reptiles. The family Caliciviridae is a large group of small, nonenveloped RNA viruses that includes important human and animal pathogens [1]. The 3’-end of the calicivirus RNA is polyadenylated, and the 5’-end is covalently linked to a small protein encoded by the virus genome, VPg [5]. Calicivirus RNA genomes share similar organization; they are comprised either of two or three ORFs. The large ORF1 encodes the virus nonstructural proteins and is expressed from the genomic RNA template.
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