Novel Aquareovirus isolated from channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) used in mussel restoration efforts in Wisconsin.

Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) are a food fish extensively reared in aquaculture facilities throughout the world and are also among the most abundant wild catfish species in North America, making them a popular target of anglers. Furthermore, channel catfish are important members of aquatic ecosystems; for example, they serve as a glochidial host for the endangered winged mapleleaf mussel (Quadrula fragosa), making them critical for conserving this species through hatchery-based restoration efforts. During a routine health inspection, a novel aquareovirus was isolated from channel catfish used in mussel propagation efforts at a fish hatchery in Wisconsin. This virus was isolated on brown bullhead cells (ATCC CCL-59) and identified through metagenomic sequencing as a novel member of the family Spinareoviridae, genus Aquareovirus. The virus genome consists of 11 segments, as is typical of the aquareoviruses, with phylogenetic relationships based on RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and major outer capsid protein amino acid sequences showing it to be most closely related to golden shiner virus (aquareovirus C) and aquareovirus C/American grass carp reovirus (aquareovirus G) respectively. The potential of the new virus, which we name genictpun virus 1 (GNIPV-1), to cause disease in channel catfish or other species remains unknown.

Comparison of multiple genes of spring viremia of carp viruses isolated in the United States.

Five spring viremia of carp viruses (SVCV), Rhabdovirus carpio, were isolated in the United States (US) between 2002 and 2004. Single tube reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to generate overlapping cDNA fragments from the US isolates of SVCV. Multiple pairs of specific primers were designed to amplify a portion of the phosphoprotein gene, the matrix gene, and the glycoprotein gene of SVCV genogroup Id (corresponding to nucleotides 2174-4942 of GenBank accession NC_002803). Sequences were proofread and aligned to generate a consensus sequence for each isolate. Phylogenetic analysis of the 2705 nucleotide consensus sequence revealed that all five US isolates belong to SVCV genogroup Ia, Asian origin isolates, and a PCR primer binding site unique to SVCV genogroup Ia was identified.