Abstract

A nodavirus was isolated from diseased yellow grouper, Epinephelus awoara, larvae cultured in southern Taiwan. The histopathology and RT–PCR results confirmed that it was a fish nodavirus; its coat protein gene sequence was similar to that of red spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV) and it is named yellow grouper nervous necrosis virus (YGNNV). A new nodavirus‐susceptible cell line, grouper brain (GB) was established and characterized from the brain tissue of yellow grouper. The GB cells multiplied well in Leibovitz’s L‐15 medium supplemented with 10% foetal bovine serum at temperatures between 24 and 32 °C, and have been subcultured more than 80 times, becoming a continuous cell line. The GB cell line consists of fibroblast‐like cells and some epithelioid cells. The cell line yielded titres of YGNNV up to 108.5 TCID50 mL–1. The GB cells effectively replicated the virus at 28 °C, which could be purified to homogeneity by caesium chloride gradient centrifugation. Electron microscopy studies showed that purified virus particles were 25–30 nm in diameter. The cytoplasm of infected cells was filled with aggregates of virus particles. These results indicate that the GB cell line is a significant tool for the study of fish nodaviruses.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.