Discovery of novel viruses that infect the white sucker (Catostomus commersonii)

Session: 01. - Disease, Parasites, and Pathogens of the Great Lakes and Freshwater Ecosystems

Luke Iwanowicz, U.S. Geological Survey, [email protected]
Cynthia Adams, U.S. Geological Survey, [email protected]
Jim Sherry, Environment Canada, [email protected]
Vicki Blazer, U.S. Geological Survey, [email protected]

Abstract

The white sucker (Catostomus commersonii) is a cyprind that inhabits river systems and lakes of the Great Lakes Region. They are benthic fish that are frequently utilized as a sentinel of aquatic environmental health in this region. We have applied next generation sequencing (NGS) methods in an effort to identify biomarker genes relevant to environmental contaminant exposure. In doing so, we have identified numerous non-host transcripts including those of novel viruses. These include the first hepadnavirus (hepatitis B virus) that infects non-mammalian or non-avian hosts, an arenavirus, and a putative retrovirus. Discovery of these viruses have provided baseline genomic data to develop surveillance tools to investigate the relevance and disease ecology of these viruses. We have sequenced more than 20 complete white sucker hepadnavirus genomes using a long-range PCR, amplicon resequencing strategy and developed methods to evaluate host and viral transcripts in infected tissue using Nanostring-based technology. Here, we present a useful NGS approach for virus discovery and complete genome sequencing, discuss phylogeographic diversity observed in the white sucker hepadnavirus, and tissue tropism of these novel viruses.

1. Keyword
fish diseases

4. Additional Keyword
virus