Discovery and genome characterization of three new Jeilongviruses, a lineage of paramyxoviruses characterized by their unique membrane proteins

• Published in: BMC genomics Vol. 19; no. 1; pp. 617 - 11
• Main Authors: Vanmechelen, Bert, Bletsa, Magda, Laenen, Lies, Lopes, Ana Rita, Vergote, Valentijn, Beller, Leen, Deboutte, Ward, Korva, Miša, Avšič Županc, Tatjana, Goüy de Bellocq, Joëlle, Gryseels, Sophie, Leirs, Herwig, Lemey, Philippe, Vrancken, Bram, Maes, Piet
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central 16.08.2018; BioMed Central Ltd; BMC
• Subjects: Amino acid composition; Amino acids; Animal Genetics and Genomics; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cell attachment protein; Clustering; Eukaryote microbial genomics; G protein; G proteins; Genes; Genetic aspects; Genomes; Genomics; Life Sciences; Lophuromys machangui; Measles; Membrane proteins; Microarrays; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; MMLPV-1; MMLPV-2; Myodes glareolus; New genera; Paramyxoviridae; Paramyxoviruses; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; Plant Genetics and Genomics; PMPV-1; Proteins; Proteomics; Research Article; Respiratory syncytial virus; Rodent paramyxovirus; Rodents; Virology; Viruses; Mozambique; Slovenia; PMPV-1; MMLPV-2; Rodent paramyxovirus; MMLPV-1; G protein; Cell attachment protein
• ISSN: 1471-2164; 1471-2164
• DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4995-0

Background In the past decade, many new paramyxoviruses that do not belong to any of the seven established genera in the family Paramyxoviridae have been discovered. Amongst them are J-virus (JPV), Beilong virus (BeiPV) and Tailam virus (TlmPV), three paramyxovirus species found in rodents. Based on their similarities, it has been suggested that these viruses should compose a new genus, tentatively called ‘Jeilongvirus’. Results Here we present the complete genomes of three newly discovered paramyxoviruses, one found in a bank vole ( Myodes glareolus ) from Slovenia and two in a single, co-infected Rungwe brush-furred rat ( Lophuromys machangui ) from Mozambique, that represent three new, separate species within the putative genus ‘Jeilongvirus’. The genome organization of these viruses is similar to other paramyxoviruses, but like JPV, BeiPV and TlmPV, they possess an additional open reading frame, encoding a transmembrane protein, that is located between the F and G genes. As is the case for all Jeilongviruses, the G genes of the viruses described here are unusually large, and their encoded proteins are characterized by a remarkable amino acid composition pattern that is not seen in other paramyxoviruses, but resembles certain motifs found in Orthopneumovirus G proteins. Conclusions The phylogenetic clustering of JPV, BeiPV and TlmPV with the viruses described here, as well as their shared features that set them apart from other paramyxoviruses, provide additional support for the recognition of the genus ‘Jeilongvirus’.