Virology & Mycology
Open Access

Abstract

Sequence Comparison and Phylogenetic Analysis of Several Emerging Porcine Bocaviruses and a Proposal Regarding Nomenclature

Shao-Lun Zhai, Xiao-Peng Li, Qin-Ling Chen, Sheng-Nan Chen, Wen-Kang Wei and Man-Lin Luo

The first Bocavirus (bovine parvovirus 1, BPV1) was discovered in calves with diarrhea in 1961. Since then, a
series of bocaviruses have emerged in many animals including dogs, humans, swine, gorillas, California sea lions,
and cats. These viruses are associated with digestive tract and respiratory tract diseases. Several emerging porcine
bocaviruses (PBoVs) have been reported on pig farms in the past four years. However, the nomenclature used to
describe these viruses has been confused and irregular. The goal of this study was to compare the sequences of
these emerging PBoVs, perform phylogenetic analysis, and present a proposal regarding their nomenclature.
Genome sequences of some PBoVs and other bocaviruses were downloaded from the GenBank database. Sequence
similarity, sequence mutation, deletion, or insertion, and sequence recombination among reference bocaviruses were
obtained using DNAStar software, and its genetic evolution was determined using MEGA 5.1 software. According to
the differences in their sequences and genome structure, the nomenclature of PBoVs was proposed and they were
divided into four different species (from PBoV1 to PBoV4) and many different genotypes. Among them, both PBoV1
and PBoV2 had two genotypes, PBoV1-a and PBoV1-b and PBoV2-a and PBoV2-a and PBoV2-b, respectively.
PBoV3 included three genotypes, PBoV3-a, PBoV3-b and PBoV3-c, respectively. In addition, for PBoV4, there were at
least eight genotypes (PBoV4-a to PBoV4-h) in intraspecies. In conclusion, PBoVs were highly genetically diversified.
The proposed nomenclature of PBoVs was used in the present studies, it could help us to better understand and
standardize the nomenclature of PBoVs.