Genomic Characterisation of a Novel Avipoxvirus Isolated from an Endangered Northern Royal Albatross (Diomedea sanfordi).

Subir Sarker,Tadiwa Nyandowe,Timothy R Bowden,Ajani Athukorala,David B Boyle

doi:10.3390/pathogens10050575

Abstract

Marine bird populations have been declining globally with the factors driving this decline not fully understood. Viral diseases, including those caused by poxviruses, are a concern for endangered seabird species. In this study we have characterised a novel avipoxvirus, tentatively designated albatrosspox virus (ALPV), isolated from a skin lesion of an endangered New Zealand northern royal albatross (Diomedea sanfordi). The ALPV genome was 351.9 kbp in length and contained 336 predicted genes, seven of which were determined to be unique. The highest number of genes (313) in the ALPV genome were homologs of those in shearwaterpox virus 2 (SWPV2), while a further 10 were homologs to canarypox virus (CNPV) and an additional six to shearwaterpox virus 1 (SWPV1). Phylogenetic analyses positioned the ALPV genome within a distinct subclade comprising recently isolated avipoxvirus genome sequences from shearwater, penguin and passerine bird species. This is the first reported genome sequence of ALPV from a northern royal albatross and will help to track the evolution of avipoxvirus infections in this endangered species.

Highlights

Marine bird populations have been declining globally [1] with the sustainability of the albatrosses and large petrels (Macronectes and Procellaria spp.) being of particular concern [2,3,4]
The complete genome of albatrosspox virus (ALPV) was assembled into a contiguous sequence of linear double-stranded DNA 351,909 bp in length and submitted to GenBank under accession number MW365933
Like many other avipoxviruses [25,28,29], the ALPV genome contained a well-conserved central coding region surrounded by two identical inverted terminal repeat (ITR) regions, comprising bp each

Summary

Introduction

Marine bird populations have been declining globally [1] with the sustainability of the albatrosses (family Diomedeidae) and large petrels (Macronectes and Procellaria spp.) being of particular concern [2,3,4]. This group includes some of the world’s most endangered bird species, with rapidly decreasing populations and their conservation status markedly deteriorating in recent years [5,6]. The breeding range is restricted to the Chatham Islands and Taiaroa Head on the Otago Peninsula, Dunedin, New Zealand. The total breeding population in the Chatham Islands colonies (99% of the total) is estimated at approximately 6500–7000 pairs, which equates to a total population of

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