• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.49-57
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• 2019

In this study, we collected 39 megalocytiviruses isolated from diseased fish in Korea from 2012 to 2018. Major capsid protein (MCP) gene, a part of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene and histidine triad motif-like protein (HIT) genes of Megalocytivirus were targeted for PCR amplification and analysis of those DNA nucleotide sequences. Korean strains revealed two genotypes (red sea bream iridovirus and turbot reddish body iridovirus types) based on the phylogeny of MCP gene. The red sea bream iridovirus type (RSIV-type) megalocytiviruses were divided into RSIV-subgroup 1 and 2. From the phylogenetic analysis of the VEGF genes, a genotypic variant of RSIV-type Megalocytivirus was identified. The HIT-like protein gene was detected in RSIVs, but not in TBRIV and ISKNV, suggesting that HIT-like protein gene may be specific in RSIV.