Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis were carried out for 35 Akabane viru (s AKAV) field isolates collected from Japan, Taiwan, Australia and Kenya, and for one Tinaroo virus (TINV). Of the three RNA segments, the M RNA segment encoding the glycoproteins that induce neutralization antibodies was the most variable among the isolates. All three RNA segments of the Kenyan isolate MP496 were genetically distant from those of the other AKAV field isolates. Although the S and L RNA segments of TINV, which is regarded as a strain of AKAV, were closely related to those of the Asian and Australian AKAV isolates, the M RNA segment of TINV diverged from that of all of the AKAV field isolates, including MP496. Discrepancies among the phylogenetic trees of the S, M and L RNA segments indicate the likelihood of genomic reassortment events among AKAV field isolates.
(Research Team for Environmental/Enzootic Diseases, Kyusyu Research Station, TEL +81-29-838-7708)
Reference:
Kobayashi et al. (2007) Virus Res. 130 : 162-171.
