Molecular characterization of virulence mechanisms of shrimp pathogenic virus WSSV

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H00949
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 40:Forestry and forest products science, applied aquatic science, and related fields
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Hirono Ikuo 東京海洋大学, 学術研究院, 教授 (00270926)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 近藤 秀裕 東京海洋大学, 学術研究院, 教授 (20314635)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: クルマエビ / 病原ウイルス / ホワイトスポット病 / 化石ウイルスゲノム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) and WSSV like fossilized virus genomes were amplified by the long PCR method to obtain a region covering the entire genome as seven DNA fragments. We attempted to introduce foreign DNA into the cells of the shrimp using various reagents and electroporation methods, but no expression of the introduced genes was observed. We also tried to introduce DNA into primary cultured cells of the shrimp, but were unable to do so. It is necessary to examine whether there is a problem in the expression of the introduced gene. Comparison of genomes of WSSV of different isolates showed differences in sequences where amino acid substitutions occur, suggesting that several genes are associated with virulence intensity. We obtained sequences transcribed from genes encoded in WSSV like fossilized virus genomes.

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Free Research Field

魚介類免疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

WSSV感染症はクルマエビ類養殖における最大の脅威の一つである。WSSV感染症の克服はクルマエビ類養殖の持続的な発展に重要な課題である。本研究ではクルマエビ類を始めとする甲殻類のゲノム中にWSSV類似ウイルスのゲノムが化石化してマルチコピーで存在することを明らかにした。WSSVに類似の現存するウイルスの存在は知られていなかったが、ズワイガニから分離されたウイルスのゲノムを解読し、WSSV近縁のウイルスであることを明らかにした。分離年や地域の異なるWSSVは病原性が異なることがわかり、それらのゲノムを比較解析したところ、WSSVの病原性に関連する可能性がある遺伝子を見つけることができた。