A Genomic Approach to Unravel Host-Pathogen Interaction in Chelonians: The Example of Testudinid Herpesvirus 3.

Origgi, Francesco; Tecilla, Marco; Pilo, Paola; Aloisio, Fabio; Otten, Patricia; Aguilar Bultet, Lisandra; Sattler, Ursula; Roccabianca, Paola; Romero, Carlos H; Bloom, David C; Jacobson, Elliott R (2015). A Genomic Approach to Unravel Host-Pathogen Interaction in Chelonians: The Example of Testudinid Herpesvirus 3. PLoS ONE, 10(8), e0134897. Public Library of Science 10.1371/journal.pone.0134897

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We report the first de novo sequence assembly and analysis of the genome of Testudinid herpesvirus 3 (TeHV3), one of the most pathogenic chelonian herpesviruses. The genome of TeHV3 is at least 150,080 nucleotides long, is arranged in a type D configuration and comprises at least 102 open reading frames extensively co-linear with those of Human herpesvirus 1. Consistently, the phylogenetic analysis positions TeHV3 among the Alphaherpesvirinae, closely associated with Chelonid herpesvirus 5, a Scutavirus. To date, there has been limited genetic characterization of TeHVs and a resolution beyond the genotype was not feasible because of the lack of informative DNA sequences. To exemplify the potential benefits of the novel genomic information provided by this first whole genome analysis, we selected the glycoprotein B (gB) gene, for detailed comparison among different TeHV3 isolates. The rationale for selecting gB is that it encodes for a well-conserved protein among herpesviruses but is coupled with a relevant antigenicity and is consequently prone to accumulate single nucleotide polymorphisms. These features were considered critical for an ideal phylogenetic marker to investigate the potential existence of distinct TeHV3 genogroups and their associated pathology. Fifteen captive tortoises presumptively diagnosed to be infected with TeHVs or carrying compatible lesions on the basis of either the presence of intranuclear inclusions (presumptively infected) and/or diphtheronecrotic stomatitis-glossitis or pneumonia (compatible lesions) were selected for the study. Viral isolation, TeHV identification, phylogenetic analysis and pathological characterization of the associated lesions, were performed. Our results revealed 1) the existence of at least two distinct TeHV3 genogroups apparently associated with different pathologies in tortoises and 2) the first evidence for a putative homologous recombination event having occurred in a chelonian herpesvirus. This novel information is not only fundamental for the genetic characterization of this virus but is also critical to lay the groundwork for an improved understanding of host-pathogen interactions in chelonians and contribute to tortoise conservation.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

05 Veterinary Medicine > Research Foci > Host-Pathogen Interaction
05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology (DIP)
05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology (DIP) > Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology
05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology (DIP) > Center for Fish and Wildlife Health (FIWI)

Graduate School:

Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences (GCB)

UniBE Contributor:

Origgi, Francesco, Pilo, Paola, Aguilar Bultet, Lisandra, Sattler, Ursula

Subjects:

600 Technology > 630 Agriculture
500 Science > 570 Life sciences; biology

ISSN:

1932-6203

Publisher:

Public Library of Science

Language:

English

Submitter:

Lisandra Aguilar Bultet

Date Deposited:

04 Jul 2017 15:25

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 14:51

Publisher DOI:

10.1371/journal.pone.0134897

PubMed ID:

26244892

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.74674

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/74674

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