@article{5bd6e8a21bef4e8a9d217a5ba7a97b49,
title = "Genomic Characterization of Picornaviruses Isolated From Ribbon (Histriophoca fasciata) and Harbor (Phoca vitulina) Seals",
abstract = "The seal picornavirus 1, species Aquamavirus A, is currently the only recognized member of the genus Aquamavirus within the family Picornaviridae. The bear picornavirus 1 was recently proposed as the second species in the genus under the name aquamavirus B. Herein, we determined the complete genomes of two novel pinniped picornaviruses, the harbor seal picornavirus (HsPV) and the ribbon seal picornavirus (RsPV). The HsPV and the RsPV were isolated in Vero.DogSLAMtag cells from samples collected from stranded harbor (Phoca vitulina) and ribbon (Histriophoca fasciata) seals. RsPV-infected Vero.DogSLAMtag cells displaying extensive cytopathic effects were processed for transmission electron microscopy and revealed non-enveloped viral particles aggregated into paracrystalline arrays in the cytoplasm. A next-generation sequencing approach was used to recover the complete genomes of the HsPV and the RsPV (6,709 and 6,683 bp, respectively). Phylogenetic and genetic analyses supported the HsPV and the RsPV as members of the Aquamavirus genus. Based on these results, RsPV represents a novel strain of Aquamavirus A, while the HsPV is a novel strain of the proposed species aquamavirus B. These discoveries provide information on the evolutionary relationships and ultrastructure of aquamaviruses and expands the known host range of those viruses. Our results underscore the importance of the application of classical virology and pathology techniques coupled with high-throughput sequencing technologies for the discovery and characterization of pathogens in wild marine mammals.",
keywords = "aquamavirus, harbor seal, marine mammal, pathogen discovery, picornaviridae, pinniped, ribbon seal, virus",
author = "Rodrigues, {Thais C.S.} and Ole Nielsen and Burek-Huntington, {Kathy A.} and Popov, {Vsevolod L.} and Stephen Raverty and Lambourn, {Dyanna M.} and Kuttichantran Subramaniam and Waltzek, {Thomas B.}",
note = "Funding Information: We thank Dr. Yasuke Yanagi, Department of Virology, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan for providing the Vero. DogSLAMtag cell line, Ms. Zhixia Ding, BSc (University of Texas Medical Branch) for expert assistance with electron microscopy, and Mr. Jason Allen (Department of Fisheries & Oceans Canada) for technical assistance with the virus cultures. We also thank Elizabeth Scherbatskoy for her assistance on retrieving picornaviruses sequences for analyses. We thank the agencies and individuals that have helped stranding response of the harbor seal cases including personnel from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife particularly Josh Oliver, Bethany Diehl and Ericka Hundrup, and PAWS wildlife. The ribbon seal was collected by Lisa Spitler of the US Fish and Wildlife service on Adak, AK and necropsy performed by Dr. Kimberlee Beckmen with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), whom we are thankful for. Funding. Funding and support for this work was provided by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program. The harbor seal samples were collected under Washington Department Fish Wildlife 109h authority and as part of the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network. Parts were transferred for analysis to SR using NOAA Marine Mammal Stranding Agreement, SR Co-investigator under Permit 932-1905/MA-009526 issued under Section 104 (16 U.S.C. 1375). The ribbon seal was collected and necropsied under ADF&G Marine Mammal Permit 15324, and transferred to KB-H through the Stranding Agreement Permit 18786. Funding Information: Funding and support for this work was provided by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program. The harbor seal samples were collected under Washington Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Copyright {\textcopyright} 2020 Rodrigues, Nielsen, Burek-Huntington, Popov, Raverty, Lambourn, Subramaniam and Waltzek.",
year = "2020",
month = oct,
day = "30",
doi = "10.3389/fvets.2020.554716",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "7",
journal = "Frontiers in Veterinary Science",
issn = "2297-1769",
publisher = "Frontiers Media S. A.",
}