Molecular Characterization of Menangle Virus, a Novel Paramyxovirus which Infects Pigs, Fruit Bats, and Humans

Abstract

Menangle virus (MenV), isolated in August 1997 following an outbreak of reproductive disease in a piggery in New South Wales, is the second previously unclassified member of the family Paramyxoviridae to be identified in Australia since 1994. Similar to Hendra virus (HeV), MenV appears to be a virus of fruit bats (flying foxes) in the genus Pteropus. No serological cross-reactivity was detected between MenV and other known paramyxoviruses and to facilitate virus classification a cDNA subtraction method was used to obtain viral-specific cDNA from MenV-infected cells. Cloning and sequencing of the products enabled the entire sequences of the NP, P/V, M, F, and HN genes to be determined. Comparison of the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences for each gene with members of the family Paramyxoviridae, determination of the P gene mRNA editing strategy, and phylogenetic analyses confirmed that MenV is a new member of the genus Rubulavirus. However the deduced protein sequence of MenV HN exhibited only limited sequence homology when compared with attachment proteins of other paramyxoviruses. Key differences within the amino acid residues considered important determinants of neuraminidase activity suggest MenV HN is unlikely to possess the same degree of neuraminidase activity characteristic of other rubulavirus and respirovirus HN proteins.

Molecular characterization of a novel astrovirus associated with disease in mink

“…As for other emerging viruses (Bowden et al, 2001;Haqshenas et al, 2001;Smiley et al, 2002;Todd et al, 2001), a range of amplification strategies designed for the determination of unknown sequences had to be applied to obtain the complete genome. It was important to perform this work using a single sample, despite limits of material, in order to avoid differences due to the possible sequence diversity among astrovirus strains present in the different samples.…”

“…This demonstrated the suitability of the chosen amplification protocol. Interestingly, we could only identify the second sequence as being derived from an astrovirus when we performed BLAST searches with the deduced amino acid sequence, indicating that sequence identities between astroviruses of different species are more prominent on the protein level than on the genomic level.As for other emerging viruses (Bowden et al, 2001; Haqshenas et al, 2001;Smiley et al, 2002;Todd et al, 2001), a range of amplification strategies designed for the determination of unknown sequences had to be applied to obtain the complete genome. It was important to perform this work using a single sample, despite limits of material, in order to avoid differences due to the possible sequence diversity among astrovirus strains present in the different samples.…”

Infection Barriers to Successful Xenotransplantation Focusing on Porcine Endogenous Retroviruses

“…For example, infectious circoviruses can be transmitted from the sow via the placenta and represent a special risk (106,245,330), because exclusion by Caesarean section is circumvented in this case. Viruses of special risk include herpesviruses, which are difficult to detect (40,41,330), paramyxoviruses such as Hendra virus (331), Nipah virus (43), Menangle virus (27), and Tioman virus (44), as well as PERVs (246), which are integrated into the pig genome (see below). The exclusion of potential zoonotic pathogens from animal herds under qualified pathogen-free breeding has been discussed widely (308), and comprehensive guidelines on screening for infectious agents, including viruses, have been issued, e.g., by the FDA/U.S.…”

“…Thanks to improvements in virus diagnostics, new, previously unknown viruses have been described for pigs, but most of them are nonpathogenic. Some examples are new paramyxoviruses (27), tiomanviruses (44), and kobuviruses (354,358). It is almost impossible to develop systematic strategies to detect such unknown viruses and other microorganisms, e.g., by coculture of human and pig cells and screening for cytotoxic effects.…”

Complete Genome Sequence of Fer-de-Lance Virus Reveals a Novel Gene in Reptilian Paramyxoviruses

“…One common feature of all these newly recognized viruses is replication in mammalian hosts. These new paramyxoviruses have been well characterized genetically (4,9,19,20,49,55,58,59), and in many cases complete genome sequences are available. They are all members of the subfamily Paramyxovirinae, with six invariant genes in the order 3Ј N-P-M-F-HN-L 5Ј, indicating the nucleocapsid, phospho-, matrix, fusion, hemagglutinin-neuramini-dase, and large polymerase protein genes, respectively.…”