TY - JOUR
T1 - Identification of a novel feline picornavirus from the domestic cat
AU - Lau, Susanna K.P.
AU - Woo, Patrick C.Y.
AU - Yip, Cyril C.Y.
AU - Choi, Garnet K.Y.
AU - Wu, Ying
AU - Bai, Ru
AU - Fan, Rachel Y.Y.
AU - Lai, Kenneth K.Y.
AU - Chan, Kwok Hung
AU - Yuen, Kwok Yung
PY - 2012/1
Y1 - 2012/1
N2 - While picornaviruses are known to infect different animals, their existence in the domestic cat was unknown. We describe the discovery of a novel feline picornavirus (FePV) from stray cats in Hong Kong. From samples from 662 cats, FePV was detected in fecal samples from 14 cats and urine samples from 2 cats by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR). Analysis of five FePV genomes revealed a distinct phylogenetic position and genomic features, with low sequence homologies to known picornaviruses especially in leader and 2A proteins. Among the viruses that belong to the closely related bat picornavirus groups 1 to 3 and the genus Sapelovirus, G+C content and sequence analysis of P1, P2, and P3 regions showed that FePV is most closely related to bat picornavirus group 3. However, FePV possessed other distinct features, including a putative type IV internal ribosome entry site/segment (IRES) instead of type I IRES in bat picornavirus group 3, protein cleavage sites, and H-D-C catalytic triad in 3C pro different from those in sapeloviruses and bat picornaviruses, and the shortest leader protein among known picornaviruses. These results suggest that FePV may belong to a new genus in the family Picornaviridae. Western blot analysis using recombinant FePV VP1 polypeptide showed a high seroprevalence of 33.6% for IgG among the plasma samples from 232 cats tested. IgM was also detected in three cats positive for FePV in fecal samples, supporting recent infection in these cats. Further studies are important to understand the pathogenicity, epidemiology, and genetic evolution of FePV in these common pet animals.
AB - While picornaviruses are known to infect different animals, their existence in the domestic cat was unknown. We describe the discovery of a novel feline picornavirus (FePV) from stray cats in Hong Kong. From samples from 662 cats, FePV was detected in fecal samples from 14 cats and urine samples from 2 cats by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR). Analysis of five FePV genomes revealed a distinct phylogenetic position and genomic features, with low sequence homologies to known picornaviruses especially in leader and 2A proteins. Among the viruses that belong to the closely related bat picornavirus groups 1 to 3 and the genus Sapelovirus, G+C content and sequence analysis of P1, P2, and P3 regions showed that FePV is most closely related to bat picornavirus group 3. However, FePV possessed other distinct features, including a putative type IV internal ribosome entry site/segment (IRES) instead of type I IRES in bat picornavirus group 3, protein cleavage sites, and H-D-C catalytic triad in 3C pro different from those in sapeloviruses and bat picornaviruses, and the shortest leader protein among known picornaviruses. These results suggest that FePV may belong to a new genus in the family Picornaviridae. Western blot analysis using recombinant FePV VP1 polypeptide showed a high seroprevalence of 33.6% for IgG among the plasma samples from 232 cats tested. IgM was also detected in three cats positive for FePV in fecal samples, supporting recent infection in these cats. Further studies are important to understand the pathogenicity, epidemiology, and genetic evolution of FePV in these common pet animals.
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U2 - 10.1128/JVI.06253-11
DO - 10.1128/JVI.06253-11
M3 - Article
C2 - 22031936
AN - SCOPUS:84862908825
SN - 0022-538X
VL - 86
SP - 395
EP - 405
JO - Journal of Virology
JF - Journal of Virology
IS - 1
ER -