Genetic characterization of an insect-specific flavivirus isolated from Culex theileri mosquitoes collected in southern Portugal

Ricardo Parreira, Shelley Cook, Ângela Lopes, António Pedro de Matos, António Paulo Gouveia de Almeida, João Piedade, Aida Esteves

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

34 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We describe the full genetic characterization of an insect-specific flavivirus (ISF) from Culex theileri (Theobald) mosquitoes collected in Portugal. This represents the first isolation and full characterization of an ISF from Portuguese mosquitoes. The virus, designated CTFV, for Culex theileri flavivirus, was isolated in the C6/36 Stegomyia albopicta (=Aedes albopictus) cell line, and failed to replicate in vertebrate (Vero) cells in common with other ISFs. The CTFV genome encodes a single polyprotein with 3357 residues showing all the features expected for those of flaviviruses. Phylogenetic analyses based on all ISF sequences available to date, place CTFV among Culex-associated flaviviruses, grouping with recently published NS5 partial sequences documented from mosquitoes collected in the Iberian Peninsula, and with Quang Binh virus (isolated in Vietnam) as a close relative. No CTFV sequences were found integrated in their host's genome using a range of specific PCR primers designed to the prM/E, NS3, and NS5 region.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)152-161
Number of pages10
JournalVirus Research
Volume167
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2012
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Complete genomic sequence
  • Iberian Peninsula
  • Insect-specific flavivirus
  • Phylogenetic analysis
  • Portugal

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