Article

Isolation and characterization of Israeli acute paralysis virus, a dicistrovirus affecting honeybees in Israel: evidence for diversity due to intra- and inter-species recombination.

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Quality Sciences, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
Journal of General Virology (impact factor: 3.36). 01/2008; 88(Pt 12):3428-38. DOI:10.1099/vir.0.83284-0 pp.3428-38
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT We report the isolation, purification, genome-sequencing and characterization of a picorna-like virus from dead bees in Israel. Sequence analysis indicated that IAPV (Israeli acute paralysis virus) is a distinct dicistrovirus. It is most homologous to Kashmir bee virus and acute bee paralysis virus. The virus carries a 9487 nt RNA genome in positive orientation, with two open reading frames separated by an intergenic region, and its coat comprises four major proteins, the sizes of which suggest alternate processing of the polyprotein. IAPV virions also carry shorter, defective-interfering (DI)-like RNAs. Some of these RNAs are recombinants of different segments of IAPV RNA, some are recombinants of IAPV RNA and RNA from another dicistrovirus, and yet others are recombinants of IAPV and non-viral RNAs. In several of the DI-like RNAs, a sense-oriented fragment has recombined with its complement, forming hairpins and stem-loop structures. In previous reports, we have shown that potyviral and IAPV sequences are integrated into the genome of their respective hosts. The dynamics of information exchange between virus and host and the possible resistance-engendering mechanisms are discussed.

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Keywords

acute bee paralysis virus
 
characterization
 
dead bees
 
DI)-like RNAs
 
DI-like RNAs
 
different segments
 
distinct dicistrovirus
 
IAPV sequences
 
information exchange
 
Israeli acute paralysis virus
 
Kashmir bee virus
 
major proteins
 
non-viral RNAs
 
open reading frames
 
positive orientation
 
possible resistance-engendering mechanisms
 
respective hosts
 
Sequence analysis
 
sizes
 
stem-loop structures