A Cripavirus in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens

Abstract

A Cripavirus-like long unique sequence was identified during transcriptome sequencing of the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens. This unique sequence demonstrated high similarity with the whole-genome sequence of cricket paralysis virus, including 59 and 39 untranslated regions; thus we considered it the whole genome of a new virus. We propose that the virus be named Nilaparvata lugens C virus (NlCV). The plus-strand RNA genome spanned 9144 nt, excluding a 39 poly(A) tail with two large ORFs encoding structural and non-structural proteins, respectively. Detection of NlCV in BPH honeydew raised the hypothesis of horizontal transmission of the virus. Honeydew from viruliferous BPHs was used to feed non-viruliferous insects, the results of which indicated that the BPH could acquire NlCV through feeding and that the virus could multiply in the insect body. A tissue-specific distribution test using real-time quantitative PCR demonstrated that NlCV was mainly present in the reproductive organs, and the virus was detected in eggs laid by viruliferous female insects using nested PCR, indicating the possibility of vertical transmission as well. As no significant symptom was detected in the viruliferous BPH, NlCV is considered a new commensal virus of BPH. Interestingly, this virus was also detected in two other hemipteran insects, the white-backed planthopper and the horned gall aphid, indicating that NlCV might be present in many other hemipteran insects and have a wide host range.

Regulation of Carbohydrate Metabolism by Trehalose-6-Phosphate Synthase 3 in the Brown Planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens

“…This insect can use its probe to pierce the sheath phloem sap and absorb vascular fluids containing sucrose, amino acids, potassium, and ATP from vascular bundles (Hayashi and Chino, 1990). In addition to extracting nutrients from the vascular bundle, it can transmit viruses such as rice ragged stunt virus (RRSV) and rice grassy stunt virus to rice plants (Hibino, 1996;Wang et al, 2016). The use of large amounts of chemical pesticides is well known to the human body and the environment.…”

Identification, Characterization and Full-Length Sequence Analysis of a Novel Polerovirus Associated with Wheat Leaf Yellowing Disease

“…The recent advent of NGS, combined with bioinformatics, has accelerated the discovery and identification of virus sequences in organisms including plant, fungi and insects because it does not depend on previous information and can detect both known and unknown viruses (Kreuze et al, 2009 ; Wu et al, 2010 ; Li et al, 2012 ; Massart et al, 2014 ; Chen et al, 2015 ; Wang et al, 2016 ). More than 100 novel DNA and RNA plant viruses from different genera and families have been identified in recent years (Roossinck et al, 2015 ; Wu et al, 2015 ; Xin et al, 2017a , b ).…”

Genome Sequence of a Novel Positive-Sense, Single-Stranded RNA Virus Isolated from Western Corn Rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte

“…ORF1 encodes a nonstructural polyprotein of limited sequence homology to the polyprotein of Rosy apple aphid virus (5) (ABB89048.1; 23% amino acid [aa] identity, 23% sequence coverage), and a nonstructural polyprotein of Nilaparata lugens C virus (6) (AIY53985.1; 24% aa identity, 18% sequence coverage). Three protein domains were identified: Macro_poa1p_like domain (cd02901, aa 74 to 175), RNA_helicase (pfam00910, aa 1008 to 1110), and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP_1) domain (pfam00680, aa 2249 to 2797).…”