Yang Yu-Hong, Li Ji-Xu, Wang Rui-Chen, Yin Qi-Kai, Fu Shi-Hong, Nie Kai, Cui Qian-Qian, Xu Song-Tao, Wei Qiang, Li Fan, Li Xing-Zhou, Wang Huan-Yu
National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, NHC Key Laboratory of Biosafety, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China.
School of Public Health, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi 154002, Heilongjiang Province, China.
Infect Med (Beijing). 2025 Apr 30;4(2):100179. doi: 10.1016/j.imj.2025.100179. eCollection 2025 Jun.
Coltiviruses are spherical, non-enveloped viruses with 12 double-stranded RNA segments, belonging to the family , and predominantly transmitted by ticks. This study isolated and characterized a novel coltivirus, designated Woodland tick reovirus (WLTRV), from ticks collected in Helong City, Jilin Province, in Northeastern China.
SW-13 and Vero cells were used to isolate WLTRV through three blind passages, while seven mammalian cell lines assessed viral growth. Viral morphology was observed by electron microscopy. Next-generation sequencing, 5' and 3' rapid amplification of cDNA ends were used to determine WLTRV whole genome sequences, and phylogenetic methods were used to characterize WLTRV. A real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect WLTRV RNA in ticks.
WLTRV grew and exerted cytopathic effects in human (SW-13 and 293T) and mouse (BHK-21 and N2A) cell lines, revealing its potential to infect mammals. Phylogenetic analysis based on RNA-dependent RNA polymerase sequences classified WLTRV within the genus , with a close evolutionary relationship to Tarumizu tick virus. The nucleotide and amino acid sequence homologies between WLTRV and Tarumizu tick virus across the 12 segments analyzed ranged from approximately 44.79% to 69.09% and 33.73% to 75.60%, respectively. WLTRV shared conserved the 5'-terminal (GACA/ /) and 3'-terminal (UGCAGUC) consensus sequences of the genus genomes. Electron microscopy revealed WLTRV as spherical (diameter ∼80 nm), non-enveloped, and morphologically consistent with coltiviruses. Among the 4,717 ticks collected from six towns in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, WLTRV RNA was only detected in (0.95% virus-carrying rate) but not in , and .
This study represents the first isolation and identification of WLTRV from in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, providing new insights into the genetic diversity and evolution of the genus .
科蒂病毒是一种球形、无包膜病毒，含有12个双链RNA片段，属于该病毒科，主要通过蜱传播。本研究从中国东北吉林省和龙市采集的蜱中分离并鉴定了一种新型科蒂病毒，命名为林地蜱呼肠孤病毒（WLTRV）。
利用SW - 13和Vero细胞通过三次盲传分离WLTRV，同时用七种哺乳动物细胞系评估病毒生长情况。通过电子显微镜观察病毒形态。利用二代测序、5'和3' cDNA末端快速扩增技术确定WLTRV全基因组序列，并采用系统发育方法对WLTRV进行鉴定。采用实时定量聚合酶链反应（RT - qPCR）检测蜱中的WLTRV RNA。
WLTRV在人源（SW - 13和293T）和鼠源（BHK - 21和N2A）细胞系中生长并产生细胞病变效应，表明其具有感染哺乳动物的潜力。基于RNA依赖的RNA聚合酶序列的系统发育分析将WLTRV归类于该属，与垂水蜱病毒具有密切的进化关系。在分析的12个片段中，WLTRV与垂水蜱病毒的核苷酸和氨基酸序列同源性分别约为44.79%至69.09%和33.73%至75.60%。WLTRV共享该属基因组保守的5'末端（GACA / /）和3'末端（UGCAGUC）共有序列。电子显微镜显示WLTRV为球形（直径约80 nm），无包膜，形态与科蒂病毒一致。在从延边朝鲜族自治州六个镇采集的4717只蜱中，仅在[具体蜱的种类未给出]中检测到WLTRV RNA（病毒携带率为0.95%），而在[其他蜱的种类未给出]中未检测到。
本研究首次从延边朝鲜族自治州的蜱中分离并鉴定了WLTRV，为该属的遗传多样性和进化提供了新的见解。
