Isolation and characterization of rotavirus from feral pigeon in mammalian cell cultures

Abstract

SUMMARYAvian rotaviruses were isolated from feral pigeon faeces treated with trypsin using roller tube cultures of mammalian cells. Two pigeon strains, designated as strains PO-8 and PO-13, produced a marked cytopathic effect (CPE), small intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies and high titres of infectious particles in infected MA-104 and MDBK cell lines without cell adaptation and roller drum apparatus. The pigeon rotaviruses shared a common group specific antigen with the Lincoln strain of bovine rotavirus by indirect immunofluorescence, but differed from both the Lincoln strain and the Wa strain of human rotavirus in neutralization tests.

Molecular characterization of avian rotavirus isolated in Korea

“…Since rotavirus infection in avian species was first reported in 1977, it became prevalent among several species of domesticated birds (Hines et al, 1995;McNulty and Reynolds, 2008;Minamoto et al, 1988). Rotaviruses isolation from bovine, porcine and human had been reported in Korea (Park et al, 2006;Jeong et al, 2009;Oh et al, 1983).…”

Attachment and Infection to MA104 Cells of Avian Rotaviruses Require the Presence of Sialic Acid on the Cell Surface

“…Some animal rotaviruses can bind to the cell either through interactions mediated by VP8 or VP5 via SA-containing and SA-independent cell surface receptors, respectively [7,24]. Human strains appear to use an SA-independent route [6], and an α2β1 integrin-binding motif (DGE) present in VP5 at amino acids 308-310 may function as the receptor-binding site [23].Rotaviruses have also been isolated from several avian species [15,16]. Previous studies have suggested that avian rotaviruses separated from mammalian rotaviruses early during evolution [10,11].…”

“…However, it is not known whether avian rotaviruses can enter cells and infect animals by the same mechanisms as those by which mammalian rotaviruses cause infection. To investigate the involvement of SA on the cell surface, we tested four avian rotavirus strains.The avian rotavirus strain PO-13 (G7, P[17]) was isolated from a pigeon in Japan [16] and was passaged 12 times in MA104 cells. Turkey rotavirus strains Ty-3 (G7, P[17]) and Ty-1 (G7, P [17]) and a chicken rotavirus, strain Ch-1 (G7, P[17]), isolated using chicken embryo fibroblast cells and/or chick kidney cells in the United Kingdom [15], were provided by McNulty, Veterinary Research Laboratories, Belfast, United Kingdom, and were passaged several times in MA104 cells in our laboratory.…”

“…Turkey rotavirus strains Ty-3 (G7, P[17]) and Ty-1 (G7, P [17]) and a chicken rotavirus, strain Ch-1 (G7, P[17]), isolated using chicken embryo fibroblast cells and/or chick kidney cells in the United Kingdom [15], were provided by McNulty, Veterinary Research Laboratories, Belfast, United Kingdom, and were passaged several times in MA104 cells in our laboratory. For this study, all of the avian rotaviruses, a simian rotavirus strain SA11 (G3, P[2]) and a human rotavirus strain Wa (G1, P1A[8]) were grown in MA104 cells as described previously [16].Infectivity assays were carried out to determine whether avian rotaviruses are SA-dependent or -indipendent. Monolayers of MA104 cells in 24-well plates were treated with 100 mU/ml of neuraminidase from Arthrobacter (A.)…”

“…Rotaviruses have also been isolated from several avian species [15,16]. Previous studies have suggested that avian rotaviruses separated from mammalian rotaviruses early during evolution [10,11].…”