Project description:To obtain the site-by-site methylation landscape of the infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV) genome, whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) was performed on an ISKNV strain from 3 duplicate samples.
Project description:Infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV), the type species of the genus Megalocytivirus in the family Iridoviridae, causes severe damage to mandarin fish cultures in China. Little is known about the proteins of ISKNV virions. In this study, a total of 38 ISKNV virion-associated proteins were identified by four different workflows with systematic and comprehensive proteomic approaches. Among the 38 identified proteins, 21 proteins were identified by the gel-based workflows (one-dimensional [1-D] and two-dimensional [2-D] gel electrophoresis). Fifteen proteins were identified by 1-D gel electrophoresis, and 16 proteins were identified by 2-D gel electrophoresis, with 10 proteins identified by both methods. Another 17 proteins were identified only by liquid chromatography (LC)-based workflows (LC-matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization [MALDI] and linear trap quadrupole [LTQ]-Orbitrap). Among these 17 LC-identified proteins, 5 proteins were identified uniquely by the LC-MALDI workflow, whereas another 6 proteins were identified only by the LTQ-Orbitrap workflow. These results underscore the importance of incorporation of multiple approaches in identification of viral proteins. Based on viral genomic sequence, genes encoding these 38 viral proteins were cloned and expressed in vitro. Antibodies were produced against these 38 proteins to confirm the ISKNV structural proteins by Western blotting. Of the newly identified proteins, ORF 056L and ORF 118L were identified and confirmed as two novel viral envelope proteins by Western blotting and immunoelectron microscopy (IEM). The ISKNV proteome reported here is currently the only characterized megalocytivirus proteome. The systematic and comprehensive identification of ISKNV structural proteins and their localizations in this study will facilitate future studies of the ISKNV assembly process and infection mechanism.
Project description:Infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV), the type species of the genus Megalocytivirus, family Iridoviridae, brings great harm to fish farming. In infected tissues, ISKNV infection is characterized by a unique phenomenon, in that the infected cells are attached by lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs), which are speculated to wall off the infected cells from host immune attack. A viral membrane protein, VP23R, binds and recruits the host nidogen-1 protein to construct a basement membrane (BM)-like structure, termed virus-mock basement membrane (VMBM), on the surface of infected cells to provide attaching sites for LECs. VMBMs do not contain collagen IV protein, which is essential for maintenance of BM integrity and functions. In this study, we identified the VP08R protein encoded by ISKNV. VP08R was predicted to be a secreted protein with a signal peptide but without a transmembrane domain. However, immunofluorescence assays demonstrated that VP08R is located on the plasma membrane of infected cells and shows an expression profile similar to that of VP23R. Coimmunoprecipitation showed that VP08R interacts with both VP23R and nidogen-1, indicating that VP08R is a component of VMBM and is present on the cell membrane by binding to VP23R. Through formation of intermolecular disulfide bonds, VP08R molecules self-organized into a multimer, which may play a role in the maintenance of VMBM integrity and stability. Moreover, the VP08R multimer was easily degraded when the ISKNV-infected cells were lysed, which may be a mechanism for VMBM disassembly when necessary to free LECs and release the mature virions.Infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV; genus Megalocytivirus, family Iridovirus) is most harmful to cultured fishes. In tissues, the ISKNV-infected cells are attached by lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs), which are speculated to segregate the host immune system. A viral membrane protein, VP23R, binds and recruits the host nidogen-1 protein to construct virus-mock basement membranes (VMBMs) on the surface of infected cells to provide attaching sites for LECs. Although VMBMs lack the collagen IV network, which is an essential structural part of true BMs, VMBMs still show an intact structure. An ISKNV-encoded VP08R protein can self-assemble into a multimer and bind both VP23R and nidogen-1 to maintain the integrity and stability of VMBMs. On the basis of these facts, we redrew the putative schematic illustration of the VMBM structure. Our study suggests that the virus adopts a strategy to remodel the cellular matrix and may provide an important reference to elucidate BM functions and the mechanisms of lymphangiogenesis.
Project description:A cross-sectional survey was used to estimate the prevalence of infections with the Infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV, Megalocytivirus), nervous necrosis virus (NNV, Betanodavirus), and infestations with ectoparasites during the rainy season in juvenile grouper (Epinephelus spp.) farmed in Aceh, Indonesia. The survey was intended to detect aquatic pathogens present at 10% prevalence with 95% confidence, assuming 100% sensitivity and specificity using a sample size of 30 for each diagnostic test. Eight populations of grouper from seven farms were sampled. Additional targeted sampling was conducted for populations experiencing high mortality. Infection with NNV was detected at all farms with seven of the eight populations being positive. The apparent prevalence for NNV ranged from 0% (95% CI: 0-12) to 73% (95% CI: 54-88). All of the fish tested from the targeted samples (Populations 9 and 10) were positive for NNV and all had vacuolation of the brain and retina consistent with viral nervous necrosis (VNN). Coinfections with ISKNV were detected in five populations, with the highest apparent prevalence being 13% (95% CI: 4-31%). Trichodina sp., Cryptocaryon irritans and Gyrodactylus sp. were detected at three farms, with 66% to 100% of fish being infested. Hybrid grouper sourced from a hatchery were 5.4 and 24.9 times more likely to have a NNV infection and a higher parasite load compared to orange-spotted grouper collected from the wild (p < 0.001). This study found that VNN remains a high-impact disease in grouper nurseries in Aceh, Indonesia.
Project description:Hypoxia frequently occurs in aquatic environments, especially in aquaculture areas. However, research on the relationship between hypoxic aquatic environments with viral diseases outbreak is limited, and its underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Herein, we demonstrated that hypoxia directly triggers the outbreak of infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV) disease. Hypoxia or activated hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) pathway could remarkably increase the levels of viral genomic DNA, titers, and gene expression, indicating that ISKNV can response to hypoxia and HIF pathway. To reveal the mechanism of ISKNV respond to HIF pathway, we identified the viral hypoxia response elements (HREs) in ISKNV genome. Fifteen viral HREs were identified, and four related viral genes responded to the HIF pathway, in which the hre-orf077r promoter remarkably responded to the HIF pathway. The level of orf077r mRNA dramatically increased after the infected cells were treated with dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG) or the infected cells/fish subjected to hypoxic conditions, and overexpressed orf077r could remarkably increase the ISKNV replication. These finding shows that hypoxic aquatic environments induce the expression of viral genes through the viral HREs to promote ISKNV replication, indicating that viral HREs might be important biomarkers for the evaluation of the sensitivity of aquatic animal viral response to hypoxia stress. Furthermore, the frequencies of viral HREs in 43 species aquatic viral genomes from 16 families were predicted and the results indicate that some aquatic animal viruses, such as Picornavirdea, Dicistronviridae, and Herpesviridae, may have a high risk to outbreak when the aquatic environment encounters hypoxic stress.