Genotype and host range analysis of infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV)

Infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV) is the causative agent of a disease causing high mortality in mandarin fish, Siniperca chuatsi. In this study, complete major capsid protein (MCP) genes of nine ISKNV isolates were sequenced and compared with other known megalocytiviruses to evaluate genetic variation and host range of the viruses. Comparison of nucleotide sequences of MCP gene revealed 92.6-100% identity among nine ISKNV isolates. A phylogenetic tree revealed that 33 megalocytiviruses were divided into three genotypes, and there was a strong host species signal in three genotypes: for genotype I, the host was mainly marine fish; for genotype II, the host was freshwater fish; and for genotype III, the host was mainly flatfish. Nine ISKNV isolates belonged to genotype I or genotype II, suggesting mandarin fish may be a mixing vessel host for megalocytivirus.