Molecular detection and phylogenetic analysis of the honeybee (Apis mellifera) sacbrood virus in Turkey

Authors: GÜLNUR KALAYCI, ABDURRAHMAN ANIL ÇAĞIRGAN, KEMAL PEKMEZ, BUKET ÖZKAN, MURAT KAPLAN

Abstract: Sacbrood virus (SBV) is widely distributed in honeybees. It is an infectious and contagious disease, which affects both the larvae and adult stages of honeybees (Apis mellifera). This study reports the detection of sacbrood virus in Turkey in 2017. Phylogenetic analysis based on partial sequences encoding the polyprotein gene was carried out in SBV-infected bees from four different apiaries. Phylogenetic analysis revealed noteworthy results. Although European-South American, Asian, and Korean genotypes have a maximum of 5.3% variance with each other, the variation rates between them and the Turkish genotype were 10.4%, 11.4%, and 12.5%, respectively. Sequences of Turkish isolates did not fit into the previously reported genotype groups; furthermore, they created a completely separate branch according to phylogeny. This new branch was therefore named the Turkish genotype.

Keywords: Genotype, honeybee, phylogeny, sacbrood virus, Turkey

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