Genetic reassortment between Sathuperi and Shamonda viruses of the genus Orthobunyavirus in nature: implications for their genetic relationship to Schmallenberg virus

Abstract

The recent outbreak of malformations in ruminants in Northern Europe caused by Schmallenberg virus induced us to analyze the genetic properties of the related orthobunyaviruses and clarify their relationship. The sequencing of three genomic RNA segments of Sathuperi, Shamonda and Douglas viruses (SATV, SHAV and DOUV) revealed that the M RNA segment of SATV and DOUV had a high degree of sequence identity with that of Schmallenberg virus, but the S and L RNA segments closely matched those of SHAV. Phylogenetic analysis of the three genomic RNA segments indicated that Schmallenberg virus is a reassortant, with the M RNA segment from SATV and the S and L RNA segments from SHAV.