Abstract
Adenoviruses are non-enveloped, double stranded DNA viruses with a medium sized genome of 26–45 kbp. They replicate inside the host nucleus and form icosahedral virions of approximately 70–90 nm. Adenoviruses are generally host specific, with many studies showing a high level of host-pathogen co-evolution. The family Adenoviridae is widely distributed among vertebrates, and there are 5 recognized genera of adenoviruses: Mastadenovirus, Avidenovirus, Atadenovirus, Siadenovirus and Ichtadenovirus.1 Of these, Mastadenovirus and Atadenovirus are known to infect mammals. Members of the genus Mastadenovirus are only found in mammals and are likely to originate in that group. Atadenoviruses evolved in lizards, and appear to have jumped into mammals.2 In cetaceans, although there is evidence of adenoviruses in beluga, bowhead, and sei whales, no characterization has been done. 3 In California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), adenovirus was first associated with hepatitis in 1979 and initial sequence characterization of a partial adenoviral polymerase gene has recently been reported.4,5 We report identification of Bottlenose dolphin adenovirus 1, the first characterized cetacean adenovirus, from an animal with gastroenteritis. We present partial genomes and phylogenetic analyses of Otarine adenovirus 1 and Bottlenose dolphin adenovirus 1. Further, we present development of quantitative PCR assays to be used for surveillance and epidemiologic studies of these viruses.
Acknowledgments
This work was funded by grant No. N00014-09-1-0252 from the Office of Naval Research to JFXW, by NOAA contract 00090868 to JFXW and by an SSC Pacific contract to RR and Dr. P.K. Yochem (HSWRI).
References
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