Orbivirus

Three concentric layers constituted by VP2 and VP5 (outer capsid), VP7 (intermediate layer), and VP3 (subcore) characterized bluetongue virus virions (~90 nm in diameter).

The virons are nonenveloped particles that are 70–80 nm in diameter. The virus particles are spherical in appearance and have icosahedral symmetry.[3] An outer and an inner capsid layer surround the genome, and have T=13 and T=2 symmetry, respectively.[2] The viron is constructed of two concentric protein shells, the subcore layer which contain 120 copies/particle of the VP3 and the core-surface layer composed of 780 copies/particle of the VP7. VP1, VP4, and VP6 are minor enzymatic proteins that are packaged along with the 10 genome segments within the central space of the virus core. The orbivirus outer-capsid layer is composed of two additional structural proteins (VP2 and VP5) which mediate cell-attachment and penetration during initiation of infection. The outer-capsid proteins are more variable than the core proteins and most of the non-structural proteins and the specificity of their reactions with neutralising antibodies determines the virus serotype.

Genome map of Orbivirus

These viruses have double-stranded RNA genomes, so are classified as Class III viruses. Their genome is linear and is segmented into 10 segments of various lengths. One copy of each gene segment is packaged per virion. In most cases, each gene segment encodes a single open reading frame (ORF). The genome encodes seven major structural proteins (VP1–VP7) and three major nonstructural proteins (NS1–NS3). Exceptions to the one gene–one protein rule are segment 9 (Seg-9) and segment 10 (Seg-10), both of which encode two nearly identical proteins initiated from in-phase AUG codons close together near the upstream termini (VP6 and VP6a encoded by Seg-9: NS3 and NS3a encoded by Seg-10).

An ORF spans almost the entire length of genome segment 9 and encodes VP6 (the viral helicase). A second ORF (OrfX) is also present on this segment and encodes a fourth nonstructural protein (NS4), which was predicted from sequence analysis of various orbiviruses including segment 9 of Great Island virus which contained a long NS4 ORF (around 21kDa). The existence of NS4 was experimentally confirmed in both insect-borne and tick-borne orbiviruses in 2011.[4]

NS1 is the most abundant protein in bluetongue virus infected cells. It forms tubules that may be involved in translocation of progeny virus particles to the cell membrane. NS2 is phosphorylated by cellular kinases and is an important matrix protein of the granular viral inclusion bodies that form within the cytoplasm of infected cells. These viral inclusion bodies act as the centres of viral replication. The membrane glycoproteins NS3 and NS3a are expressed in large numbers in insect cells, but not in mammalian cells. They are involved in the release of progeny virus particles from infected cells and may be involved in determination of both vector competence and virulence.

Many orbiviruses preferentially infect vascular endothelial cells. Orbiviruses enter the host cell by endocytosis and the outer capsid is subsequently removed. The whole cycle of viral replication takes place within the cytoplasm of the host cell. Transcription of the viral genome into mRNA occurs within the core particle and mRNA is translated into proteins using the host cell ribosomes. Viral proteins are synthesized 2–14 days after initial infection. New virons self-assemble within the cytoplasm and are then released from the host cell by budding. During the budding process, they transiently acquire a lipid envelope which can be detected for a short period of time following their release, but this is subsequently lost.

The genus Orbivirus contains the following species:[1]

The genus is divided into several (at least 14) serogroups.[9][10] The serogroups are divided in some cases into subgroups. A number of member viruses have yet to be assigned to a serogroup. The serogroups are differentiated on the basis of a fourfold or greater difference in antibody based tests. These tests include ELISAs and complement fixation tests.

Member viruses are transmitted by midges (Culicoides), mosquitoes, and ticks. The viruses transmitted by a particular type of vector are generally related both genetically and serologically.