AUTHOR=Liu Haifeng , Zhu Xinyue , Dong Qinting , Qiao Chengpeng , Luo Yuhang , Liu Yi , Zou Yanlin , Liu Huanghao , Wu Cuilan , Su Jieyu , Peng Hao , Ouyang Kang , Chen Ying , Li Jun , Wei Zuzhang , Huang Weijian 

TITLE=Isolation and Phylogenetic Analysis of a Hunnivirus Strain in Water Buffaloes From China

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Veterinary Science

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2022.851743

DOI=10.3389/fvets.2022.851743

ISSN=2297-1769

ABSTRACT=In recent years, hunnivirus have been reported in a variety of animal species from many countries. Here, hunnivirus was detected in fecal samples from water buffaloes and named as BufHuv-GX-2106. The samples were inoculated into cultures of MDBK cells supplemented with TPCK trypsin and the BufHuv-GX-2106 strain was stably passaged and replicated. Electron microscopic analysis showed the BufHuV-GX-2106 virus particles were spherical and 20~30 nm in diameter. The complete genome of a plaque purified sample of BufHuv-GX-2106 was determined and analyzed. Genomic analysis revealed that the whole sequence of BufHuv-GX-2106 was 7601 nucleotides (nt) in length and consisted of a large open reading frame of 6759nt, a 5'UTR of 728 nt, a 3'UTR of 114nt and a poly(A) tail. The complete genome sequence of BufHuV-GX-2106 shares 68 to 85% nucleotide identities with other known hunnivirus strains, indicating high genetic heterogeneity among these viruses. Phylogenetic analysis showed that BufHuV-GX-2106 belonged to the Hunnivirus A strain genotype and was more closely related to ovine hunnivirus than other known viruses of this type. This study describes the first isolation and complete genome sequence of a hunnivirus strain from water buffaloes. In addition, this study will help to understand the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of hunnivirus A among different animal species.