DAO 116:1-9 (2015)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/dao02903

ABSTRACT: Tasmanian aquabirnaviruses (TABVs) have been isolated intermittently since 1998 from healthy Atlantic salmon Salmo salar and rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss farmed in Macquarie Harbour, Tasmania, Australia. However, beginning in 2011, TABVs have been isolated from rainbow trout in association with mortality events. To determine if recent molecular changes in TABV were contributing to increased mortalities, next generation sequencing was undertaken on 14 TABVs isolated from 1998 to 2013. Sequencing of both genome segments and analysis of the 5 viral proteins they encode revealed that minimal changes had occurred in the past 15 yr. Of the amino acid changes detected only 1, alanine to aspartic acid at position 139 of the minor structural VP3 protein, was unique to the recent disease events. The most dramatic changes observed were in the length of the non-structural VP5 protein varying from 43 to 133 amino acids. However, the amino acid substitution in VP3 and variable VP5 length were unlikely to have resulted in increased TABV pathogenicity. The genome of a novel Australian aquabirnavirus, Victorian trout aquabirnavirus (VTAB) was also sequenced and compared to TABV isolates.

KEY WORDS: Aquabirnavirus · Genome · Atlantic salmon · Rainbow trout · Australia

Full text in pdf format

Cite this article as: Mohr PG, Moody NJG, Williams LM, Hoad J, Crane MSJ (2015) Molecular characterization of Tasmanian aquabirnaviruses from 1998 to 2013. Dis Aquat Org 116:1-9. https://doi.org/10.3354/dao02903 Export citation Share:    Facebook - - linkedIn