de Miranda Joachim R, Cornman R Scott, Evans Jay D, Semberg Emilia, Haddad Nizar, Neumann Peter, Gauthier Laurent
Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA 16802, USA.
School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK.
Viruses. 2015 Jul 6;7(7):3586-602. doi: 10.3390/v7072789.
Around 14 distinct virus species-complexes have been detected in honeybees, each with one or more strains or sub-species. Here we present the initial characterization of an entirely new virus species-complex discovered in honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) and varroa mite (Varroa destructor) samples from Europe and the USA. The virus has a naturally poly-adenylated RNA genome of about 6500 nucleotides with a genome organization and sequence similar to the Tymoviridae (Tymovirales; Tymoviridae), a predominantly plant-infecting virus family. Literature and laboratory analyses indicated that the virus had not previously been described. The virus is very common in French apiaries, mirroring the results from an extensive Belgian survey, but could not be detected in equally-extensive Swedish and Norwegian bee disease surveys. The virus appears to be closely linked to varroa, with the highest prevalence found in varroa samples and a clear seasonal distribution peaking in autumn, coinciding with the natural varroa population development. Sub-genomic RNA analyses show that bees are definite hosts, while varroa is a possible host and likely vector. The tentative name of Bee Macula-like virus (BeeMLV) is therefore proposed. A second, distantly related Tymoviridae-like virus was also discovered in varroa transcriptomes, tentatively named Varroa Tymo-like virus (VTLV).
在蜜蜂中已检测到约14种不同的病毒种类复合体，每种都有一个或多个毒株或亚种。在此，我们展示了在来自欧洲和美国的蜜蜂（西方蜜蜂）和瓦螨（狄斯瓦螨）样本中发现的一种全新病毒种类复合体的初步特征。该病毒具有约6500个核苷酸的天然多聚腺苷酸化RNA基因组，其基因组结构和序列与番茄病毒科（番茄病毒目；番茄病毒科）相似，这是一个主要感染植物的病毒科。文献和实验室分析表明，此前尚未描述过这种病毒。这种病毒在法国的养蜂场中非常常见，这与比利时一项广泛调查的结果一致，但在同样广泛的瑞典和挪威蜜蜂疾病调查中却未检测到。该病毒似乎与瓦螨密切相关，在瓦螨样本中的患病率最高，且有明显的季节性分布，在秋季达到峰值，这与瓦螨的自然种群发展相吻合。亚基因组RNA分析表明，蜜蜂是确定的宿主，而瓦螨是可能的宿主且可能是传播媒介。因此，提议将其暂定名为蜜蜂黄斑样病毒（BeeMLV）。在瓦螨转录组中还发现了第二种与之关系较远的类番茄病毒科病毒，暂定名为瓦螨类番茄病毒（VTLV）。
