Antigenic Characterization of New Lineage II Insect-Specific Flaviviruses in Australian Mosquitoes and Identification of Host Restriction Factors.

ABSTRACT: We describe two new insect-specific flaviviruses (ISFs) isolated from mosquitoes in Australia, Binjari virus (BinJV) and Hidden Valley virus (HVV), that grow efficiently in mosquito cells but fail to replicate in a range of vertebrate cell lines. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that BinJV and HVV were closely related (90% amino acid sequence identity) and clustered with lineage II (dual-host affiliated) ISFs, including the Lammi and Nounané viruses. Using a panel of monoclonal antibodies prepared to BinJV viral proteins, we confirmed a close relationship between HVV and BinJV and revealed that they were antigenically quite divergent from other lineage II ISFs. We also constructed chimeric viruses between BinJV and the vertebrate-infecting West Nile virus (WNV) by swapping the structural gen

SUBMITTER: Harrison JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7300350 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature