Solenopsis invicta virus-1A (SINV-1A): Distinct species or genotype of SINV-1?

• Published in: Journal of invertebrate pathology Vol. 88; no. 3; pp. 232 - 237
• Main Authors: Valles, Steven M., Strong, Charles A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.03.2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; amino acid sequences; Animals; Ants - virology; Base Sequence; Bee paralysis virus; Biological and medical sciences; Biological control; complementary DNA; Control; Dicistroviridae; fire ants; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genome sequence; Genome, Viral; Genotype; Host-Parasite Interactions - physiology; infection; insect colonies; insect viruses; Microbiology; Molecular Sequence Data; molecular systematics; nucleotide sequences; Open Reading Frames; Pest Control, Biological; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Picorna-like virus; Picornaviridae - genetics; Picornaviridae - pathogenicity; Picornaviridae Infections; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; Protozoa. Invertebrates; restriction fragment length polymorphism; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA virus; sequence homology; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; SINV-1; Solenopsis invicta; Systematics; unassigned viruses; Virology; Florida; SINV-1; Genome sequence; RNA virus; Solenopsis invicta; Dicistroviridae; Entomopathogen; Formicidae; Nucleotide sequence; Insecta; Biological control; Genotype; Formicoidea; Pest; Microbiological control; Arthropoda; Molecular systematics; Biopesticide; Hymenoptera; Invertebrata; Genome; Microbial insecticide; Aculeata
• ISSN: 0022-2011; 1096-0805
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2005.02.006

We have cloned and sequenced a 2845 bp cDNA representing the 3′-end of either a new picorna-like virus species or genotype of Solenopsis invicta virus-1 (SINV-1). Analysis of the nucleotide sequence revealed 1 large open reading frame. The amino acid sequence of the translated open reading frame was most identical to structural proteins of SINV-1 (97%), followed by the Kashmir bee virus (KBV, 30%), and acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV, 29%). A PCR-based survey for SINV-1 and the new species or genotype (tentatively named S. invicta virus-1A, SINV-1A) using RNA extracts of S. invicta collected around Gainesville, Florida, revealed a mean colony infestation rate of 25% by SINV-1 and 55% by SINV-1A. Both SINV-1 and SINV-1A were found to co-infect 17.5% of the nests surveyed. Although the data preclude definitive species or genotype assignment, there is no doubt that SINV-1A is distinct from SINV-1, identifiable, and infects S. invicta. We provide a simple RT-PCR technique capable of discerning SINV-1 and SINV-1A infection of S. invicta.