Malakal virus from Africa and Kimberley virus from Australia are geographic variants of a widely distributed ephemerovirus

Kim R. Blasdell, Rhonda Voysey, Dieter M. Bulach, Lee Trinidad, Robert B. Tesh, David B. Boyle, Peter J. Walker

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

Kimberley virus (KIMV) is an arthropod-borne rhabdovirus that was isolated in 1973 and on several subsequent occasions from healthy cattle, mosquitoes (Culex annulirostris) and biting midges (Culicoides brevitarsis) in Australia. Malakal virus (MALV) is an antigenically related rhabdovirus isolated in 1963 from mosquitoes (Mansonia uniformis) in Sudan. We report here the complete genome sequences of KIMV (15442 nt) and MALV (15444 nt). The genomes have a similar organisation (3'-l-N-P-M-G-GNS-α1-α2-Β-γ-L-t-5') to that of bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV). High levels of amino acid identity in each gene, similar gene expression profiles, clustering in phylogenetic analyses of the N, P, G and L proteins, and strong cross-neutralisation indicate that KIMV and MALV are geographic variants of the same ephemerovirus that, like BEFV, occurs in Africa, Asia and Australia.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)236-244
Number of pages9
JournalVirology
Volume433
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 10 2012
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Ephemerovirus
  • Gene expression
  • Genome sequence
  • Kimberley virus
  • Malakal virus
  • Rhabdovirus

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Virology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Malakal virus from Africa and Kimberley virus from Australia are geographic variants of a widely distributed ephemerovirus'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this