• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.43-50
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• 1998

In order to determine whether the tumor-inducing iridoviruses and the mortality-associated iridoviruses from cultured marine fish in Korea belong to same type, we compared the immunological characteristics of these viruses. The electrophoretical pattern of structural proteins of the tumor-inducing was different from that of the mortality-associated iridoviruses. The antigenicity of structural proteins of these viruses were identified by Western blotting using two monoclonal antibodies against tumor-inducing iridovirus. Two monoclonal antibodies recognized a 150 kDa structural protein of tumor-inducing iridoviruses showed. However, the structural proteins of the mortality-associated iridoviruses did not react with these monoclonal antibodies. These results demonstrate that the antigenicity of the structural proteins of tumor-inducing iridovirus is different from that of mortality-associated iridovirus, indicating that these two iridoviruses belong to different types.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 1998

For rapid detection of iridovirus infection, a PCR-based diagnostic method was developed. The genomic DNA from mortality-associated iridovirus was cloned into pUC19 vector. The nucleotide sequences of these clones were compared with sequences of other genes from EMBL/GenBank databank. Based on the nucleotide sequences, PCR primers were prepared and used for PCR. The DNA amplification did not occur from the normal fish cells. In contrast, DNA was amplified from the iridovirus-infected fish cells and purified iridovirus. These results suggest that mortality-associated iridovirus can be detected from virus-infected cells within short time and this PCR-based diagnostic system provides a simple and accurate method for detecting the presence of iridovirus infection.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.93-99
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• 2013

In 2009, a systemic megalocytivirus infection associated with high mortality was detected for the first time in cultured starry flounder Platichthys stellatus in Korea. Diseased starry flounder had pale bodies and gill coloring and enlarged spleens. Histopathological examinations revealed basophilic enlarged cells in various organs of diseased starry flounder. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on tissue samples using three published primer sets developed for the red sea bream iridovirus. PCR products were detected for all primer sets, except 1-F/1-R, which are registered by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). The part of the gene corresponding to the full open reading frame encoding the viral major capsid protein (MCP) was amplified by PCR. PCR products of approximately 1,581 bp were cloned, and the nucleotide sequences were analyzed phylogenetically. The MCP gene of the starry flounder iridovirus, designated SFIV0909, was identical to that of the turbot reddish body iridovirus (AB166788).

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.273-280
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• 2010

To determine whether rock bream Oplegnathus fasciatus can be protected from rock bream iridovirus (RBIV) infection by intramuscular injection of long double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs), we compared protective effect of virus-specific dsRNAs corresponding to major capsid protein (MCP), ORF 084, ORF 086 genes, and virus non-specific green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene. Furthermore, to determine whether the non-specific type I interferon (IFN) response was associated with protective effect, we estimated the activation of type I IFN response in fish using expression level of IFN inducible Mx gene as a marker. As a result, mortality of fish injected with dsRNAs and challenged with RBIV was delayed for a few days when comparing with PBS injected control group. However, virus-specific dsRNA injected groups exhibited no significant differences in survival period when compared to the GFP dsRNA injected group. Semi-quantitative analysis indicated that the degree of antiviral response via type I IFN response is supposedly equal among dsRNA injected fish. These results suggest that type I IFN response rather than sequence-specific RNA interference might involve in the lengthened survival period of fish injected with virus-specific dsRNAs.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.85-89
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• 2014

Water temperature is a key environmental factor controlling the epizootics of viral diseases in fish. High water temperature is associated with the rapid spread of rock bream iridovirus (RBIV) disease and with high mortality of RBIV infected fish. Although protection of fish against iridoviral disease by active immunization has been reported, little information is available concerning whether fish survived from an epizootic of iridoviral disease can naturally acquire resistance against the viral disease. In the present study, we have demonstrated that juvenile rock bream, which survived from a natural epizootic of RBIV, acquired resistance against recurrence or reinfection of RBIV, and this resistance was established during the subsequent low water temperature period. Furthermore, the possible involvement of the adaptive humoral immune response in the resistance of the juvenile rock bream was suggested by in vivo neutralization experiment.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.191-211
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• 2023

Rock bream iridovirus (RBIV) causes high mortality and economic losses in rock bream (Oplegnathus fasciatus) aquaculture industry in Korea. Although, the immune responses of rock bream under RBIV infection have been studied, there is not much information at the different stages of infection (initial, middle and recovery). Gene expression profiling of rock bream under different RBIV infection stages was investigated using a microarray approaches. In total, 5699 and 6557 genes were significantly up- or down-regulated over 2-fold, respectively, upon RBIV infection. These genes were grouped into categories such as innate immune responses, adaptive immune responses, complements, lectin, antibacterial molecule, stress responses, DNA/RNA binding, energy metabolism, transport and cell cycle. Interestingly, hemoglobins (α and β) appears to be important during pathogenesis; it is highly up-regulated at the initial stage and is gradually decreased when the pathogen most likely multiplying and fish begin to die at the middle or later stage. Expression levels were re-elevated at the recovery stage of infection. Among up-regulated genes, interferon-related genes were found to be responsive in most stages of RBIV infection. Moreover, X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP)-associated factor 1 (XAF1) expression was high, whereas expression of apoptosis-relate genes were low. In addition, stress responses were highly induced in the virus infection. The cDNA microarray data were validated using quantative real-time PCR. Our results provide novel inslights into the broad immune responses triggered by RBIV at different infection stages.