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Genetic diversity of the Caribbean spiny lobster virus, Panulirus argus virus 1 (PaV1), and the ­discovery of PaV1 in lobster postlarvae

Authors :
Jeffrey D. Shields
Mark J. Butler
Jessica Moss
Donald C. Behringer
Source :
Aquatic Biology. 14:223-232
Publication Year :
2012
Publisher :
Inter-Research Science Center, 2012.

Abstract

Panulirus argus virus 1 (PaV1) is an unclassified, pathogenic virus first discovered in Caribbean spiny lobsters Panulirus argus from the Florida Keys, USA, and has since been con- firmed in lobsters in other parts of the Caribbean. Several studies have examined the prevalence, pathogenicity, and population dynamics of the pathogen in the lobster host, but little is known about the genetic diversity of the virus. We analyzed a fragment of viral DNA from lobsters col- lected in the Florida Keys, which provided the first insight into the genetic diversity of PaV1. The variation in viral sequences, both within and between individual lobsters, indicates that lobsters can be infected with multiple viral strains. Laboratory experiments in which uninfected lobsters were serially exposed to lobsters inoculated with PaV1 implied that rapid mutation of strains is unlikely and suggest that there may be endemic strains of PaV1. In addition, we discovered PaV1 in P. argus postlarvae (pueruli), suggesting that the virus may disperse through the Caribbean within the long-lived (5 to 7 mo) planktonic phyllosoma larvae — a novel mechanism for dispersal of viruses in the sea.

Details

ISSN :
18647790 and 18647782
Volume :
14
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Aquatic Biology
Accession number :
edsair.doi...........f50df814180e11894a05a2b0cd2cc20f
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3354/ab00395