Identification of two novel papillomaviruses in belugas

• Published in: Frontiers in Microbiology
• Main Authors: Youyou Li, Meifang Xiao, Yun Zhang, Zihan Li, Shijie Bai, Haoxiang Su, Ruoyan Peng, Gaoyu Wang, Xiaoyuan Hu, Xinran Song, Xin Li, Chuanning Tang, Gang Lu, Feifei Yin, Peijun Zhang, Jiang Du
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023
• Subjects: diversity; novel PVs; evolution; beluga whale; next-generation sequencing; Microbiology; QR1-502; Beluga; Beluga whale; Beluga*; Delphinapterus leucas; Killer Whale
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1165839; https://doaj.org/article/d9c4b71849804bd5bed0f2a0a3c16474

IntroductionPapillomaviruses (PVs) can cause hyperplasia in the skin and mucous membranes of humans, mammals, and non-mammalian animals, and are a significant risk factor for cervical and genital cancers.MethodsUsing next-generation sequencing (NGS), we identified two novel strains of papillomavirus, PV-HMU-1 and PV-HMU-2, in swabs taken from belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) at Polar Ocean Parks in Qingdao and Dalian.ResultsWe amplified the complete genomes of both strains and screened ten belugas and one false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) for the late gene (L1) to determine the infection rate. In Qingdao, 50% of the two sampled belugas were infected with PV-HMU-1, while the false killer whale was negative. In Dalian, 71% of the eight sampled belugas were infected with PV-HMU-2. In their L1 genes, PV-HMU-1 and PV-HMU-2 showed 64.99 and 68.12% amino acid identity, respectively, with other members of Papillomaviridae. Phylogenetic analysis of combinatorial amino acid sequences revealed that PV-HMU-1 and PV-HMU-2 clustered with other known dolphin PVs but formed distinct branches. PVs carried by belugas were proposed as novel species under Firstpapillomavirinae.ConclusionThe discovery of these two novel PVs enhances our understanding of the genetic diversity of papillomaviruses and their impact on the beluga population.