In Vitro Reassortment between Endemic Bluetongue Viruses Features Global Shifts in Segment Frequencies and Preferred Segment Combinations.

ABSTRACT: Bluetongue virus (BTV) is an arthropod-borne pathogen that is associated with sometimes severe disease in both domestic and wild ruminants. Predominantly transmitted by Culicoides spp. biting midges, BTV is composed of a segmented, double-stranded RNA genome. Vector expansion and viral genetic changes, such as reassortment between BTV strains, have been implicated as potential drivers of ongoing BTV expansion into previously BTV-free regions. We used an in vitro system to investigate the extent and flexibility of reassortment that can occur between two BTV strains that are considered enzootic to the USA, BTV-2 and BTV-10. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was coupled with plaque isolation and a novel, amplicon-based sequencing approach to quantitate the viral genetic diversity generated

SUBMITTER: Kopanke J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7920030 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature