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Title: The NS3 Proteins of Global Strains of Bluetongue Virus evolve into Regional Topotypes Through Negative (purifying) Selection

Author
item BALASURIYA, UDENI B R - UNIV OF CA-DAVIS
item NADLER, STEVEN - UNIV OF CA-DAVIS
item Wilson, William - Bill
item PRITCHARD, L. IAN - AUSTRALIAN ANIM HEALTH
item SMYTHE, ASHLEIGH - UNIV OF CA-DAVIS
item SAVANI, G - IZS AM ITALY
item MONACO, F - IZS AM ITALY
item DE SANTIS, PAOLA - IZS AM ITALY
item NIANZU, ZHANG - YUNNAN TROPICAL/SUBTROPIC
item TABACHNICK, WALTER - FL MEDICAL ENTOM LAB
item MACLACHLAN, N. JAMES - UNIV OF CA-DAVIS

Submitted to: Veterinary Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/28/2007
Publication Date: 1/1/2008
Citation: Balasuriya, U., Nadler, S.A., Wilson, W.C., Pritchard, L., Smythe, A.B., De Santis, P., Nianzu, Z., Tabachnick, W.J., Maclachlan, N. 2008. The NS3 Proteins of Global Strains of Bluetongue Virus evolve into Regional Topotypes Through Negative (purifying) Selection. Veterinary Microbiology.2008 Jan 1;126(1-3):91-100

Interpretive Summary: Bluetongue (BT) is a non-contagious viral disease of ruminant animals that is transmitted by hematophagous Culicoides midges. BT is 1 of 15 animal diseases included in List A of the Office International des Epizooties (OIE), and current international trade regulations are based on the premise that BT is an emerging disease spread by animal movement. Genetic analysis of 100 strains of BT from around the world indicated region-specific grouping of global isolates of BTV is consistent with prolonged co-evolution of BTV with the different species of vector insects that occur in each region.

Technical Abstract: Bluetongue (BT) is a non-contagious viral disease of ruminant animals that is transmitted by hematophagous Culicoides midges. BT is 1 of 15 animal diseases included in List A of the Office International des Epizooties (OIE), and current international trade regulations are based on the premise that BT is an emerging disease spread by animal movement. We used phylogenetic analyses of the gene encoding the conserved NS3 protein of 100 strains of BT virus (BTV) from different regions of the world to show that these viruses reliably segregate into groupings reflective of their geographic origin and respective species of Culicoides vector, regardless of virus serotype or year of isolation. The fact that the viruses segregated into distinct African/European, Asian/Australian, Central American/Caribbean Islands, and North American groupings indicates that BTV has not recently been disseminated around the world by animal movement. Rather, the region-specific grouping of global isolates of BTV is consistent with prolonged co-evolution of BTV with the different species of vector insects that occur in each region.