Novel Host-Related Virulence Factors Are Encoded by Squirrelpox Virus, the Main Causative Agent of Epidemic Disease in Red Squirrels in the UK

Darby, Alistair C, McInnes, Colin J, Kjaer, Karina Hansen, Wood, Ann R, Hughes, Margaret ORCID: 0000-0001-7251-6821, Martensen, Pia Moller, Radford, Alan D ORCID: 0000-0002-4590-1334, Hall, Neil and Chantrey, Julian ORCID: 0000-0002-4801-7034 (2014) Novel Host-Related Virulence Factors Are Encoded by Squirrelpox Virus, the Main Causative Agent of Epidemic Disease in Red Squirrels in the UK. PLOS ONE, 9 (7). e96439-.

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Abstract

Squirrelpox virus (SQPV) shows little evidence for morbidity or mortality in North American grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis), in which the virus is endemic. However, more recently the virus has emerged to cause epidemics with high mortality in Eurasian red squirrels (S. vulgaris) in Great Britain, which are now threatened. Here we report the genome sequence of SQPV. Comparison with other Poxviridae revealed a core set of poxvirus genes, the phylogeny of which showed SQPV to be in a new Chordopoxvirus subfamily between the Molluscipoxviruses and Parapoxviruses. A number of SQPV genes were related to virulence, including three major histocomaptibility class I homologs, and one CD47 homolog. In addition, a novel potential virulence factor showing homology to mammalian oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS) was identified. This family of proteins normally causes activation of an endoribonuclease (RNaseL) within infected cells. The putative function of this novel SQPV protein was predicted in silico.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	## TULIP Type: Articles/Papers (Journal) ##
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Animals, Sciuridae, Chordopoxvirinae, Poxviridae Infections, Animal Diseases, Viral Proteins, Virulence Factors, Sequence Homology, Amino Acid, United Kingdom
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	12 Oct 2020 09:36
Last Modified:	16 Dec 2022 16:54
DOI:	10.1371/journal.pone.0096439
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3009051

Available Versions of this Item

• Novel Host-Related Virulence Factors Are Encoded by Squirrelpox Virus, the Main Causative Agent of Epidemic Disease in Red Squirrels in the UK. (deposited 16 Feb 2015 11:59)
  • Novel Host-Related Virulence Factors Are Encoded by Squirrelpox Virus, the Main Causative Agent of Epidemic Disease in Red Squirrels in the UK. (deposited 12 Oct 2020 09:36) [Currently Displayed]