Korean J Parasitol.  2007 Jun;45(2):87-94. 10.3347/kjp.2007.45.2.87.

Double-stranded RNA virus in Korean Isolate IH-2 of Trichomonas vaginalis

• Kim JW
• Chung PR
• Hwang MK
• Choi EY

• KMID: 1720531
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2007.45.2.87

Abstract

In this study, we describe Korean isolates of Trichomonas vaginalis infected with double-stranded (ds) RNA virus (TVV). One T. vaginalis isolate infected with TVV IH-2 evidenced weak pathogenicity in the mouse assay coupled with the persistent presence of a dsRNA, thereby indicating a hypovirulence effect of dsRNA in T. vaginalis. Cloning and sequence analysis results revealed that the genomic dsRNA of TVV IH-2 was 4,647 bp in length and evidenced a sequence identity of 80% with the previously-described TVV 1-1 and 1-5, but only a 42% identity with TVV 2-1 and 3 isolates. It harbored 2 overlapping open reading frames of the putative capsid protein and dsRNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). As previously observed in the TVV isolates 1-1 and 1-5, a conserved ribosomal slippage heptamer (CCUUUUU) and its surrounding sequence context within the consensus 14-nt overlap implied the gene expression of a capsid protein-RdRp fusion protein, occurring as the result of a potential ribosomal frameshift event. The phylogenetic analysis of RdRp showed that the Korean TVV IH-2 isolate formed a compact group with TVV 1-1 and 1-5 isolates, which was divergent from TVV 2-1, 3 and other viral isolates classified as members of the Giardiavirus genus.

Keyword

Trichomonas vaginalis virus; TVV; dsRNA-dependent RNA polymerase; Totiviridae; ribosomal frameshift

MeSH Terms

Abscess/parasitology/pathology
Animals
Capsid Proteins/genetics
Cloning, Molecular
Disease Models, Animal
Female
Frameshifting, Ribosomal
Giardiavirus/classification/genetics/*isolation & purification
Humans
Korea
Mice
Molecular Sequence Data
Open Reading Frames
Phylogeny
RNA Replicase/genetics
RNA, Double-Stranded/*genetics
RNA, Viral/*genetics
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Sequence Homology
Trichomonas Infections/*virology
Trichomonas vaginalis/genetics/isolation & purification/pathogenicity/*virology
Virulence