AUTHOR=Li Youyou , Xiao Meifang , Zhang Yun , Li Zihan , Bai Shijie , Su Haoxiang , Peng Ruoyan , Wang Gaoyu , Hu Xiaoyuan , Song Xinran , Li Xin , Tang Chuanning , Lu Gang , Yin Feifei , Zhang Peijun , Du Jiang 

TITLE=Identification of two novel papillomaviruses in belugas

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1165839

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2023.1165839

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>Papillomaviruses (PVs) can cause hyperplasia in the skin and mucous membranes of humans, mammals, and non-mammalian animals, and are a significant risk factor for cervical and genital cancers.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>Using next-generation sequencing (NGS), we identified two novel strains of papillomavirus, PV-HMU-1 and PV-HMU-2, in swabs taken from belugas (<italic>Delphinapterus leucas</italic>) at Polar Ocean Parks in Qingdao and Dalian.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>We amplified the complete genomes of both strains and screened ten belugas and one false killer whale (<italic>Pseudorca crassidens</italic>) for the late gene (L1) to determine the infection rate. In Qingdao, 50% of the two sampled belugas were infected with PV-HMU-1, while the false killer whale was negative. In Dalian, 71% of the eight sampled belugas were infected with PV-HMU-2. In their L1 genes, PV-HMU-1 and PV-HMU-2 showed 64.99 and 68.12% amino acid identity, respectively, with other members of <italic>Papillomaviridae</italic>. Phylogenetic analysis of combinatorial amino acid sequences revealed that PV-HMU-1 and PV-HMU-2 clustered with other known dolphin PVs but formed distinct branches. PVs carried by belugas were proposed as novel species under <italic>Firstpapillomavirinae</italic>.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>The discovery of these two novel PVs enhances our understanding of the genetic diversity of papillomaviruses and their impact on the beluga population.</p></sec>