One base pair deletion and high rate of evolution: Keys to viral accommodation of Australian Penaeus stylirostris densovirus

Abstract

Abstract Penaeus stylirostris densovirus ( Pst DV) has caused large economic losses to shrimp farming worldwide. Here, a 1-bp deletion within the nuclear localization signal-encoding sequence of open reading frame 1 (ORF1; NS1) of Australian Pst DV was identified as a cause of 199-amino acid shortened NS1 protein and production of a second protein, C-terminal NS1. This mutation is believed to reduce virulence as it strongly modifies the characteristics of NS1, which is responsible for the majority of enzymatic activities in Pst DV. This finding supports a hypothesis regarding accommodation of Pst DV in Australian prawns in relation to viral genetics. However, a high degree of evolution (1.55 × 10 − 3 substitutions/site/year) and genetic variation for the virus was attributable to the viral recombination observed with 10 potential genomic breakpoints identified. With this finding, we suggest that awareness of the emergence of new virulent strains should be increased as a preventative measure against future outbreaks of Pst DV in the Australian Indo-Pacific.