Complete genome sequence of a bovine ephemeral fever virus JT02L strain in mainland China

Whole genome characterization and evolutionary analysis of bovine ephemeral fever virus isolated in Iran

Bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) is an economically important arthropod-borne virus of cattle and water buffaloes which is enzootic in Africa, Australia, and Asia. We characterized the entire length of BEFV BA/RZ/IR strain genome isolated in Iran and compared to the all BEFV full genomes available in the GenBank. The BEFV genomes were phylogenetically classified as 4 lineages including the Middle Eastern, East Asian, Australian, and South African lineages. The Iranian BA/RZ/IR strain, which displayed maximum sequence identity (96.72%) to the Chinese JT02L strain was clustered as a separate branch in the East Asian lineage of the virus. Using Shannon entropy analysis, amino acid variations were detected in the all proteins encoded by BEFV genomes. Particularly, the polymerase L and the accessory proteins Gns, α2 and β exhibited the highest amino acid variations suggesting their significance in the viral replication efficiency. Our bioinformatics analyses also predict the occurrence of recombination event within the East Asian lineage of BEFV genomes. Our data show that the Chinese Henan 1 may be a hybrid strain constructed of the Chinese JT02L and Iranian BA/RZ/IR BEFV strains as the major and minor parents, respectively. These computational analyses suggest that the homologous recombination may be an evolutionary mechanism for BEFV as a member of the Rhabdoviridae family.

Emergence and genomic analysis of a novel sublineage of bovine ephemeral fever virus in Southwest China

Introduction

Bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV), belonging to the genus Ephemerovirus under the family Rhabdoviridae, is the etiological cause for the bovine ephemeral fever (BEF) in cattle and water buffalo.

Methods

In this study, we report recent BEF outbreaks in Southwest China and sequence the complete genome sequence of one BEFV isolate BEFV/CQ1/2022.

Results and Discussion

Comparative genomic analyses between BEFV/CQ1/2022 and isolates available in GenBank revealed remarkable inter-isolate divergence. Meanwhile, the sequence divergence was related to the evolutionary relationships and geographical distribution of the isolates. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the global BEFV isolates can be divided into 4 distinct lineages. The East Asia lineage was the most diverse and could be subdivided into 4 sublineages. Notably, BEFV/CQ1/2022 and other 10 recent isolates from Mainland China were found to be clustered in sublineage 2. Additionally, recombination analysis provided evidence of BEFV recombination among East Asian isolates for the first time. Taken together, a novel sublineage of the East Asian BEFV emerged in Southwest China, and large divergence and potential recombination among BEFV strains were investigated in this study, which may improve understanding of BEFV epidemiology and evolution.

Genome sequence of Bovine Ephemeral fever virus vaccine strain of South African origin

Bovine Ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) is endemic in South Africa and has a negative economic impact on the meat and dairy industries. Bovine ephemeral fever or three‐day stiff‐sickness is controlled through annual vaccination with a live attenuated virus manufactured by Onderstepoort Biological Products (South Africa). We announce the genome sequences of two South African Bovine Ephemeral Virus strains; the live attenuated vaccine strain (14 876 nucleotides) and a field strain (14 883 nucleotides). A mutation in the alpha 3 open reading frame rendered the gene non‐functional in both genomes. Phylogenetic analysis based on the glycoprotein gene showed that the two strains clustered with the South African lineage.