Development of immunodot blot assay for the detection of white spot syndrome virus infection in shrimps (Penaeus monodon)

The VP 28 gene encoding a structural envelope protein of the white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) was cloned into a pET32a(+) expression vector for the production of the recombinant VP28 protein. A purified recombinant protein of 39.9 kDa size was used for polyclonal antibody production in rabbit. Specific immunoreactivity of the rabbit anti rVP28 antiserum to the viral antigen was confirmed by a Western blot. The specificity of this polyclonal anti‐rVP28 antiserum to detect the presence of the virus in WSSV‐infected Penaeus monodon was verified using a immunodot blot assay. Immunodot blot showed a positive reaction in infected shrimp tissues with prominent colour development using 3,3′,5,5′‐tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) as a chromogenic substrate when compared with 3–3′ diaminobenzidine tetrahydrochloride (DAB). Highest signal intensities of the immunodots were observed in infected shrimp pleopod extracts and haemolymph. On comparison with polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunodot blot could detect 76% of PCR‐positive WSSV‐infected shrimp samples. Immunodot blot was found to be equivalent to first‐step PCR sensitivity to detect WSSV particles estimated to contain 1.0 × 10⁵ viral DNA copies.     

A single-step multiplex PCR for simultaneous detection of white spot syndrome virus and infectious hypodermal and haematopoietic necrosis virus in penaeid shrimp

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) and infectious hypodermal and haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHHNV) are the major viral pathogens of penaeid shrimp worldwide (Lightner & Redman 1998). Litopenaeus vannamei was introduced into China from the Americas, and quickly became widely cultured. Following its introduction, both IHHNV and WSSV have become important pathogens of cultured penaeid shrimp and have had a huge impact on the culture industry in China in recent years.     

Hemagglutinating activity and electrophoretic pattern of hemolymph serum proteins of Penaeus monodon and Macrobrachium rosenbergii to white spot syndrome virus injections

The giant fresh water prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii is known to be highly tolerant to white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infections when compared to the widely cultured marine tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon. At present, the exact mechanism of tolerance by M. rosenbergii to WSSV is not known. In this study, we attempt to study the effect of WSSV injections on the hemagglutination activity of the hemolymph serum of both P. monodon and M. rosenbergii and look for changes if any, on their hemolymph serum protein electrophoretic patterns. Our results show that M. rosenbergii had significantly (p < 0.05) higher hemagglutinating activity against mouse erythrocytes when compared to P. monodon. As the infection progressed to 48 h there was a further increase (p < 0.05) in the hemagglutination activity in M. rosenbergii, while it decreased in P. monodon. 12% SDS-PAGE analysis of the hemolymph serum of M. rosenbergii infected with WSSV did not show any new protein bands, whereas few bands with decreased intensity was observed in moribund P. monodon where the hemagglutinating activity was also observed to be decreased. The results indicate that hemolymph hemagglutinin levels are modulated in crustaceans as a response to viral infections.     

Comparison of dot blot and PCR diagnostic techniques for detection of white spot syndrome virus in different tissues of Penaeus monodon

Comparison of PCR and dot blot diagnostic techniques for detection of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) was made on different tissues of infected Penaeus monodon including eye stalk, eye stalk with eye, gills, cuticle, pleopod, periopods, uropods and telson. Dot blots of crude DNA extracted from infected tissue samples showed positive reactions with all the samples; however, the sensitivity of the dot blot was reduced with the purification of DNA samples extracted from pleopod, telson and uropod. PCR was found to be more sensitive when compared to dot blot. Both crude DNA and purified DNA samples extracted from all the tissues except for eye stalk with eye showed single step nested PCR positive reaction. The amplification of all or either of the three bands of 941 bp, 525 bp and 204 bp size varied with the tissues analysed. The severity of infection assessed by PCR amplification was found to be maximum in cuticle and telson followed by gill. Other tissues such as eye stalk, pleopod, periopods and uropod were observed to have mild infection. The maximum intensity of the PCR product was for the smallest amplified product of 204 bp followed by 525 bp and the weakest intensity was observed for the 941 bp size. The limitation of PCR due to inhibiting factors present in tissues could be overcome with the use of dot blot which gave positive reaction from the DNA extracted from eye stalk including the eye but yielded no amplification by PCR.     

Detection of monodon baculovirus and white spot syndrome virus in apparently healthy Penaeus monodon postlarvae from India by polymerase chain reaction

The simultaneous presence of monodon baculovirus (MBV) and white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in apparently healthy postlarvae of Penaeus monodon from different hatcheries in India was studied by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). MBV could be detected in 54% of the samples. However, only 15% of samples were positive by non-nested reaction. WSSV could be detected in 75% of samples, 19% being positive by non-nested reaction. The results show simultaneous presence of WSSV and MBV in many samples at various degrees of infection. Only 14% of the samples analysed were negative for both viruses.     

白斑综合征病毒(WSSV)提取物中43 kDa蛋白来源的MALDI-TOF分析

将纯化的WSSV粒子蛋白经SDS-PAGE分离后,对图谱中出现的43kDa蛋白进行质谱分析,发现该蛋白不是WSSV基因组编码,是来自其宿主的蛋白成分,与肌动蛋白有很高的同源性。提示该蛋白的有无及含量多少与纯化病毒粒子的状态有很大关系,可以作为纯化WSSV完整性的参考指标。     

Characterization and application of monoclonal antibodies against white spot syndrome virus

Three hybridoma clones secreting monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were produced from mouse myeloma and spleen cells immunized with white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) isolated and purified from Penaeus monodon (Fabricius), collected from north-eastern Taiwan. By sodium dodecyl sulphate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE), the protein profile of this isolate contained four major proteins with sizes of approximately 35 (VP35), 28 (VP28), 24 (VP24), and 19 kDa (VP19). Western blot analysis revealed that two MAbs (1D7 and 6E1) recognized epitopes on VP28 and one MAb (3E8) recognized an epitope on VP19. The MAb 6E1 isotyped to the IgG₁ class was used in both an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and in an immunochemical staining protocol for successful identification and localization of WSSV in infected shrimp tissues. Antigenic similarity of isolates from Indonesia and Malaysia to the Taiwan isolate was illustrated by IFA with MAb 6E1. A MAb (2F6) which bound specifically to two shrimp proteins, 75 and 72 kDa, and reacted to the healthy and non-target tissues of WSSV in infected shrimp, such as hepatopancreas, is also described here and shows the necessity for specific identification of antibodies.     

Experimental white spot syndrome virus challenge of juvenile Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone) at different salinities

In recent years, the shrimp industry has turned to inland freshwater culture as one method to avoid problems such as the introduction of possible vectors of viral pathogens into seawater ponds. Our experiments evaluated susceptibility to white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in Litopenaeus vannamei held under different salinity regimens. Juvenile L. vannamei that were conditioned at salinities of 35, 25, 15, 5 and 2 g L⁻¹ were challenged with WSSV. In order to assess the severity of white spot disease, histological analysis and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests were carried out on the challenged shrimp every 4 h after 48 h post challenge. The results indicated that significantly more severe infections resulted at 15‰ than at other salinities. Mortality could not be compared due to the sampling design and because severe WSSV infections occurred in all test groups such that few shrimp remained alive in each challenged group at the end of the test. Despite this, the results suggest that salinity may affect the course and outcome of WSSV infections.     

Rotifer cellular membranes bind to white spot syndrome virus (WSSV)

Cell membranes from the rotifer, Brachionus urceus, were obtained by centrifugation and found to specifically bind white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in vitro. This finding suggests that there is likely a WSSV receptor on the rotifer cell membrane and provides evidence that rotifers may be a host for WSSV.     

注射白斑综合征病毒对克氏原螯虾酚氧化酶活力的影响

将白斑综合征病毒(white spot syndrome virus,WSSV)、嗜水气单胞菌(Aeromonas hydrophila,Ah)、大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)(DH5α)用注射法接种克氏原螯虾(Procambarus clarkii),在0~72 h之间定时检测克氏原螯虾血细胞和肝胰脏中酚氧化酶(Phenoloxidase,PO)活力变化。结果显示:(1)0.1 mg/m L和1 mg/m L胰蛋白酶处理样品后,样品间差异不显著。(2)加胰蛋白酶处理与未加胰蛋白酶相比,供试克氏原螯虾PO活力均升高。(3)未加胰蛋白酶与加胰蛋白酶表现出相似的特征,WSSV和Ah注射组与对照组相比均表现为,12~48 h PO活力显著高于对照组,并且在48 h达到最大值,72 h时基本恢复正常;注射DH5α组与对照组相比没有显著性变化。可见感染WSSV后,克氏原螯虾体内酚氧化酶活力发生了变化,由此推测,PO参与了螯虾体内抵御病毒的免疫反应。     

Indian isolates of white spot syndrome virus exhibit variations in their pathogenicity and genomic tandem repeats

To detect genomic variation of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) isolates from different geographical regions of India, the variable number of the tandem repeat (VNTR) region of the ORF 94 (Thailand WSSV isolate – GeneBank Accession No. AF369029 ) was analysed using five specific sets of primers. Analysis of 70 WSSV‐positive samples showed the presence of 14 different genotypes of WSSV with VNTRs ranging from 2 to 16 tandem repeats with the majority (85.47%) having 6–12 tandem repeats. Occurrence of different genotypes of WSSV was found to be neither correlated to any specific geographical region nor to the different growth stage of the tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon. Pathogenicity studies conducted with 25 isolates of WSSV revealed the presence of virulent and avirulent strains of WSSV in Indian shrimp farms. However, an unambiguous link could not be established between the different genotypes and their virulence.     

Quantitative analysis of an experimental white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection in Penaeus monodon Fabricius using competitive polymerase chain reaction

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) has been a major pathogen of cultured Penaeus monodon Fabricius in Malaysia since 1994. As quantitative study on the replication of WSSV is in its infancy, competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for quantitative study of an experimental WSSV infection per os in growout P. monodon . Gills, abdominal integument and abdominal muscle were selected for viral quantification. Infection was detectable as early as 14 h postinfection (h p.i.) in both gills and integument, but the infection in muscle was only detected at 24 h p.i. Gill tissue had the highest viral load, followed by integument and muscle. Typical viral growth curves were obtained for all organs with distinct phases of eclipse (0–24 h p.i.), logarithmic (24–48 h p.i.) and the plateau (48–120 h p.i.). Cumulative mortality rapidly increased from 48 h p.i. and reached 100% at the end of the plateau phase at 120 h p.i. Gross signs of white spots and reddish discoloration were also obvious in moribund individuals from the plateau phase. Based on the three phases of viral growth, WSSV infection was classified into light, moderate and heavy infection stages.     

Production of polyclonal antiserum against recombinant VP28 protein and its application for the detection of white spot syndrome virus in crustaceans

The VP28 gene of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) was cloned into pRSET B expression vector. The VP28 protein was expressed as a protein with a 6-histidine taq in Escherichia coli GJ1158 with NaCl induction. Antiserum was raised against this recombinant-VP28 protein in rabbits and it recognized VP28 protein in naturally and experimentally WSSV-infected shrimp, marine crabs, freshwater prawns and freshwater crabs. The antiserum did not recognize any of the other known WSSV structural proteins. Various organs such as eyestalks, head muscle, gill tissue, heart tissue, haemolymph, tail tissue and appendages were found to be good materials for detection of WSSV using the antiserum and detection of WSSV was successful in experimentally infected Penaeus monodon and P. indicus at 12 and 24 h post-infection (p.i.), respectively. The antiserum was capable of detecting WSSV in 5 ng of total haemolymph protein from WSSV-infected shrimp.     

白斑综合症病毒（WSSV）对中国对虾卵及各期幼体人工感染的试验研究

用感染白斑综合症毒病的中国对虾头胸甲,对健康的仔虾进行了人工投喂感染实验,同时从病虾中分离出病毒悬液作为毒种,无节幼体,蚤体 幼体和糠虾体进行不同温度条件下的人工浸浴实验,结果表明,卵和无节幼体,蚤状幼体,糠虾幼对病毒悬液不敏感,闰理切片观察未见病毒粒子,光镜病理切片可观空到鳃上皮,前肠上皮有包涵体样病变,同时在肝胰组织中发现了肝胰腺细小病毒（HPV）包涵体。     

乳山对虾养殖场白斑综合征病毒(WSSV)调查研究

2002年采用PCR-核酸探针斑点杂交法检测了乳山对虾养殖场1000余份样品携带白斑综合征病毒(WSSV)的情况。结果显示,639例对虾样品中阳性检出率为26·6%;77例蟹类样品中阳性检出率为18·2%;266例浮游动物样品中阳性检出率为38·3%,3~9月份浮游动物阳性率呈下降趋势,消毒后水体中浮游动物的阳性率仍很高;30例贝类样品检测均为阴性;204例底泥样品中,阳性检出率为17·6%,22例抽滤海水样品检测均为阴性。结果表明,虾、蟹类在传播WSSV中起着重要作用,贝类、海水传播WSSV的可能性很小,浮游动物、底泥在传播WSSV中的作用和机制应引起高度重视。