Tick-borne viruses structurally similar to Orthomyxoviruses.

Members of the Orthomyxoviridae are characterized at the structural level as enveloped, negative sense, RNA viruses that bud from the outer plasma membranes of infected cells and have seven or eight species of single-stranded RNA. None of the three types of orthomyxoviruses (influenza A, B, C) has been shown to be transmitted by arthropods; rather, the viruses are transmitted directly or indirectly from one infected vertebrate to another. Analyses of the virion RNA species and polypeptides of the tick-borne Thogoto and Dhori viruses indicate that they have structural characteristics similar to accepted members of the Orthomyxoviridae. For example, the viruses have seven size classes of single-stranded RNA with 3' end consensus sequences of HOUCGUUG (or U or A) UUGUUC. . . . The viruses contain 54-56 X 10(3) Da nucleocapsid protein, an internal 28 X 10(3) Da putative matrix protein plus minor 85-90 X 10(3) Da proteins, and a major outer 65 X 10(3) Da glycoprotein. In addition to their sensitivity to actinomycin D and alpha-amanitin the viruses morphologically and morphogenetically resemble orthomyxoviruses.