Diversity among Tacaribe serocomplex viruses (Family Arenaviridae) associated with the southern plains woodrat (Neotoma micropus)

Abstract

The southern plains woodrat (Neotoma micropus) is the principal host of Catarina virus in southern Texas and a natural host of other North American Tacaribe serocomplex viruses. The objectives of this study were to increase our knowledge of the genetic diversity among Tacaribe serocomplex viruses associated with N. micropus and to define better the natural host relationships of these viruses. Pairwise comparisons of complete glycoprotein precursor gene sequences and complete nucleocapsid protein gene sequences revealed a high level of genetic diversity among Tacaribe serocomplex viruses associated with N. micropus in western Oklahoma, southern New Mexico, and northern and southern Texas. Collectively, the results of Bayesian analyses of nucleotide sequences and pairwise comparisons of amino acid sequences confirmed that the arenaviruses associated with N. micropus in Oklahoma and New Mexico should be included in the Whitewater Arroyo species complex, and indicated that that the arenaviruses associated with N. micropus in northern Texas are strains of a novel arenaviral species--tentatively named "Middle Pease River virus". Together, the results of assays for arenavirus and assays for anti-arenavirus antibody in 54 southern plains woodrats and 325 other rodents captured at 2 localities suggested that the southern plains woodrat is the principal host of Middle Pease River virus in northern Texas.

Keywords: Arenavirus; Ecology; Neotoma micropus; Tacaribe serocomplex; Woodrat.

Figure 1

Map showing the geographical range of Neotoma micropus (shaded area), The localities at which the southern plains woodrats in this study were captured are marked with filled circles: 1 – Black Mesa State Park and Nature Preserve, Cimarron County, Oklahoma; 2 – privately owned property near the town of Flomot and along the Middle Pease River in Motley County, Texas; 3 – privately owned property near the town of Afton, Dickens County, Texas; 4– Fort Bliss Military Base in Otero County, New Mexico; 5 – Monahans Sandhills State Park, Ward County, Texas; 6 – Chaparral Wildlife Management Area, Dimmit and La Salle counties, Texas. The properties in Motley and Dickens counties were separated by 53.5 km. United States – AZ, Arizona; CO, Colorado; KS, Kansas; NM, New Mexico; OK, Oklahoma; TX, Texas; UT, Utah. Mexico – CI, Chihuahua; CU, Coahuila; NL, Nuevo León; QU, Querétaro; SL, San Luis Potosí; TM, Tamaulipas; VZ, Veracruz. Map adapted from Patterson et al. 2007.

Figure 2

Phylogenetic relationships among the North American Tacaribe serocomplex viruses based on Bayesian analyses of complete glycoprotein precursor gene sequences. The length of the scale bar is equivalent to 0.1 substitution per site. A black dot at a node indicates that the probability values in support of the clade were ≥ 0.95. The branch labels include (in the following order) virus species, strain, host species, state (and county or municipality). BBTV, Big Brushy Tank virus; BCNV, Bear Canyon virus; CTNV, Catarina virus; MPRV, Middle Pease River virus; RCTV, Real de Catorce virus; SKTV, Skinner Tank virus; TAMV, Tamiami virus; TCRV, Tacaribe virus; TTCV, Tonto Creek virus; WWAV, Whitewater Arroyo virus. Nalb, Neotoma albigula (white-throated woodrat); Ncin, N. cinerea (bushy-tailed woodrat); Nleu, N. leucodon (white-toothed woodrat); Nmac, N. macrotis (large-eared woodrat); Nmex, N. mexicana (Mexican woodrat); Nmic, N. micropus (southern plains woodrat); Peromyscus californicus (California mouse); Shis, S. hispidus (hispid cotton rat). AZ, Arizona; CA, California; CO; Colorado; FL, Florida; NM, New Mexico; OK, Oklahoma; SLP, San Luis Potosí; TX, Texas; UT, Utah.

Figure 3

Phylogenetic relationships among the North American Tacaribe serocomplex viruses based on Bayesian analyses of complete nucleocapsid protein gene sequences. The length of the scale bar is equivalent to 0.1 substitution per site. Nodal support and branch labels are as in Figure 2.