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Complete coding sequence of a novel picorna-like virus in a blackbird infected with Usutu virus

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Abstract

Using random high-throughput RNA sequencing, the complete coding sequence of a novel picorna-like virus (a 9,228-nt contig containing 212,202 reads) was determined from a blackbird (Turdus merula) infected with Usutu virus. This sequence shares only 36% amino acid sequence identity with its closest homolog, arivirus 1, (an unclassified member of the order Picornavirales), and shares its dicistronic genome arrangement. The new virus was therefore tentatively named “blackbird arilivirus” (ari-like virus). The nearly complete genome sequence consists of at least 9,228 nt and contains two open reading frames (ORFs) encoding the nonstructural polyprotein (2235 amino acids) and structural polyprotein (769 amino acids). Two TaqMan RT-qPCR assays specific for ORF1 confirmed the presence of high levels of this novel virus in the original sample. Nucleotide composition analysis suggests that blackbird arilivirus is of dietary (plant) origin.

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Acknowledgements

DVM. F. Hénin kindly collected the bird and circumstantial information. The expert technical assistance of O. Ozhelvaci, S. H. Mahibullah and A. Ausloos is much appreciated. Raw sequence data were generated by the Biotechnology and Molecular Biology Platform of the Scientific Institute for Public Health (Brussels, Belgium).

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Directorate Viral Diseases, Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Center CODA-CERVA, Brussels, Belgium

    Steven Van Borm, Mieke Steensels, Elisabeth Mathijs & Bénédicte Lambrecht

  2. Laboratory of Viral Metagenomics, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Claude Kwe Yinda & Jelle Matthijnssens

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  1. Steven Van Borm
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  2. Mieke Steensels
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  3. Elisabeth Mathijs
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  4. Claude Kwe Yinda
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  5. Jelle Matthijnssens
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  6. Bénédicte Lambrecht
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Correspondence to Steven Van Borm.

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Handeling Editor: Zhenhai Chen.

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Van Borm, S., Steensels, M., Mathijs, E. et al. Complete coding sequence of a novel picorna-like virus in a blackbird infected with Usutu virus. Arch Virol 163, 1701–1703 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-018-3761-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-018-3761-6

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