Molecular Characterization of Novel Fish Viruses from Technical Assistance Cases Active
Viruses occur in many cultured and wild stocks of fish. William Batts collaborates with many government, state, tribal, and private research and diagnostic laboratories to aid in identification of these unknown replicating agents of uncertain pathogenicity. Typically, viruses can be replicated in a variety of fish cell lines and investigated at several temperatures to see if the cytopathic effect is different from existing fish viruses. When they are unknown to the diagnosticians, the viruses are sent to the Western Fisheries Research Center in Seattle for attempts at characterization.
Often unknown viruses are an existing strain of virus that was simply unfamiliar to the diagnostic lab, perhaps due to this virus never being isolated in the geographic region or in the fish species being investigated. However, the technical assistance service we provide has led to scientific publications on a wide variety of fish viruses including novel members of orthomyxoviruses, aquareoviruses, picornaviruses, nidoviruses, hepeviruses, paramyxoviruses, and rhabdoviruses.
We use amplification of the viral nucleic acids by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to obtain sufficient DNA for molecular sequencing. This authentic DNA sequence is used to search for existing viral sequences accessioned into DNA databases. If no virus match occurs, it is possible that the agent is quite unique, never observed before in any fish population.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Isolation and characterization of the fall Chinook aquareovirus
Molecular characterization of a novel orthomyxovirus from rainbow and steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Isolation and molecular characterization of a novel picornavirus from baitfish in the USA
Genetic analysis of a novel nidovirus from fathead minnows
A novel member of the family Hepeviridae from cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii)
Genetic analysis of paramyxovirus isolates from pacific salmon reveals two independently co-circulating lineages
Molecular characterisation of Atlantic salmon paramyxovirus (ASPV): A novel paramyxovirus associated with proliferative gill inflammation
Isolation of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus from muskellunge, Esox masquinongy (Mitchill), in Lake St Clair, Michigan, USA reveals a new sublineage of the North American genotype
Genetic typing of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus
Isolation and characterization of a rhabdovirus from starry flounder (Platichthys stellatus) collected from the northern portion of Puget Sound, Washington, USA
Partners include: Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Alberta Environment and Parks, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Clear Springs Foods, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Univiersity of California - Davis, University of Florida - Gainesville, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, W
- Overview
Viruses occur in many cultured and wild stocks of fish. William Batts collaborates with many government, state, tribal, and private research and diagnostic laboratories to aid in identification of these unknown replicating agents of uncertain pathogenicity. Typically, viruses can be replicated in a variety of fish cell lines and investigated at several temperatures to see if the cytopathic effect is different from existing fish viruses. When they are unknown to the diagnosticians, the viruses are sent to the Western Fisheries Research Center in Seattle for attempts at characterization.
Often unknown viruses are an existing strain of virus that was simply unfamiliar to the diagnostic lab, perhaps due to this virus never being isolated in the geographic region or in the fish species being investigated. However, the technical assistance service we provide has led to scientific publications on a wide variety of fish viruses including novel members of orthomyxoviruses, aquareoviruses, picornaviruses, nidoviruses, hepeviruses, paramyxoviruses, and rhabdoviruses.
We use amplification of the viral nucleic acids by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to obtain sufficient DNA for molecular sequencing. This authentic DNA sequence is used to search for existing viral sequences accessioned into DNA databases. If no virus match occurs, it is possible that the agent is quite unique, never observed before in any fish population.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Isolation and characterization of the fall Chinook aquareovirus
BackgroundSalmon are paramount to the economy, ecology, and history of the Pacific Northwest. Viruses constitute one of the major threats to salmon health and well-being, with more than twenty known virus species that infect salmon. Here, we describe the isolation and characterization of the fall Chinook aquareovirus, a divergent member of the species Aquareovirus B within the family Reoviridae.MeAuthorsNegar Makhsous, Nicole L. Jensen, Katherine H. Haman, William N. Batts, Keith R. Jerome, James Winton, Alexander L. GreningerMolecular characterization of a novel orthomyxovirus from rainbow and steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
A novel virus, rainbow trout orthomyxovirus (RbtOV), was isolated in 1997 and again in 2000 from commercially-reared rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Idaho, USA. The virus grew optimally in the CHSE-214 cell line at 15°C producing a diffuse cytopathic effect; however, juvenile rainbow trout exposed to cell culture-grown virus showed no mortality or gross pathology. Electron microscopy of preAuthorsWilliam N. Batts, Scott E. LaPatra, Ryan Katona, Eric Leis, Terry Fei Fan Ng, Marine S.O. Bruieuc, Rachel Breyta, Maureen K. Purcell, Thomas B. Waltzek, Eric Delwart, James WintonIsolation and molecular characterization of a novel picornavirus from baitfish in the USA
During both regulatory and routine surveillance sampling of baitfish from the states of Illinois, Minnesota, Montana, and Wisconsin, USA, isolates (n = 20) of a previously unknown picornavirus were obtained from kidney/spleen or entire viscera of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) and brassy minnows (Hybognathus hankinsoni). Following the appearance of a diffuse cytopathic effect, examination oAuthorsNicholas B.D. Phelps, Sunil K. Mor, Anibal G. Armien, William N. Batts, Andrew E. Goodwin, Lacey Hopper, Rebekah McCann, Terry Fei Fan Ng, Corey Puzach, Thomas B. Waltzek, Eric Delwart, James Winton, Sagar M. GoyalGenetic analysis of a novel nidovirus from fathead minnows
A bacilliform virus was isolated from diseased fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Analysis of the complete genome coding for the polyprotein (pp1ab), spike (S), membrane (M) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins revealed that the virus was most like white bream virus (WBV), another bacilliform virus isolated from white bream (Blicca bjoerkna L.) and the type species of the genus Bafinivirus within theAuthorsWilliam N. Batts, Andrew E. Goodwin, James R. WintonA novel member of the family Hepeviridae from cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii)
Beginning in 1988, the Chinook salmon embryo (CHSE-214) cell line was used to isolate a novel virus from spawning adult trout in the state of California, USA. Termed the cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii) virus (CTV), the small, round virus was not associated with disease, but was subsequently found to be present in an increasing number of trout populations in the western USA, likely by a combAuthorsWilliam Batts, Susan Yun, Ronald Hedrick, James WintonGenetic analysis of paramyxovirus isolates from pacific salmon reveals two independently co-circulating lineages
Viruses with the morphological and biochemical characteristics of the family Paramyxoviridae (paramyxoviruses) have been isolated from adult salmon returning to rivers along the Pacific coast of North America since 1982. These Pacific salmon paramyxoviruses (PSPV), which have mainly been isolated from Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, grow slowly in established fish cell lines and have notAuthorsW.N. Batts, K. Falk, J. R. WintonMolecular characterisation of Atlantic salmon paramyxovirus (ASPV): A novel paramyxovirus associated with proliferative gill inflammation
Atlantic salmon paramyxovirus (ASPV) was isolated in 1995 from gills of farmed Atlantic salmon suffering from proliferative gill inflammation. The complete genome sequence of ASPV was determined, revealing a genome 16,968 nucleotides in length consisting of six non-overlapping genes coding for the nucleo- (N), phospho- (P), matrix- (M), fusion- (F), haemagglutinin-neuraminidase- (HN) and large polAuthorsK. Falk, W.N. Batts, A. Kvellestad, Gael Kurath, J. Wiik-Nielsen, J. R. WintonIsolation of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus from muskellunge, Esox masquinongy (Mitchill), in Lake St Clair, Michigan, USA reveals a new sublineage of the North American genotype
Viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) was isolated from muskellunge, Esox masquinongy (Mitchill), caught from the NW portion of Lake St Clair, Michigan, USA in 2003. Affected fish exhibited congestion of internal organs; the inner wall of the swim bladder was thickened and contained numerous budding, fluid-filled vesicles. A virus was isolated using fish cell lines inoculated with a homogenaAuthorsE. Elsayed, M. Faisal, M. Thomas, G. Whelan, W. Batts, J. WintonGenetic typing of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus
No abstract available.AuthorsGael Kurath, A. Garver, William N. Batts, Eveline J. EmmeneggerIsolation and characterization of a rhabdovirus from starry flounder (Platichthys stellatus) collected from the northern portion of Puget Sound, Washington, USA
The initial characterization of a rhabdovirus isolated from a single, asymptomatic starry flounder (Platichthys stellatus) collected during a viral survey of marine fishes from the northern portion of Puget Sound, Washington, USA, is reported. Virions were bullet-shaped and approximately 100 nm long and 50 nm wide, contained a lipid envelope, remained stable for at least 14 days at temperatures raAuthorsChristina Mork, Paul K. Hershberger, Richard Kocan, William N. Batts, James R. Winton - Partners
Partners include: Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Alberta Environment and Parks, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Clear Springs Foods, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Univiersity of California - Davis, University of Florida - Gainesville, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, W