Ruhugu virus

{{Short description|Species of virus}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Virusbox | name = Ruhugu virus | image = | image_alt = | image_caption = | parent = Rubivirus | species = Rubivirus ruteetense | synonyms = * Ruhugu virus | synonyms_ref = <ref>{{cite web |title=Create two new species and rename one species in genus ''Rubivirus'' (''Hepelivirales'': ''Matonaviridae'') |url=https://ictv.global/ictv/proposals/2020.011S.R.Rubivirus_nspp.zip |vauthors=Bennett AJ, Paskey AC, Ebinger A, Kuhn JH, Bishop-Lilly KA, Beer M, Goldberg TL |publisher=International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) |language=en |format=docx |date=31 July 2020 |access-date=15 May 2021}}</ref> }}

The '''Ruhugu virus''', scientifically known as ''Rubivirus ruteetense'', is a type of virus that falls under the Rubivirus genus. It was first identified in 2019 within unaffected bats from Uganda. This virus is classified within the Matonaviridae family and consists of a single-stranded RNA with a positive polarity. It is encapsulated by an icosahedral capsid.

==Discovery and habitat== Before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ruhugu virus was detected in disease-free Cyclops roundleaf bats residing in Kibale National Park, Uganda.<ref name="science">{{Cite journal |last1=Gibbons |first1=Ann |date=2020-10-07 |title=Newly discovered viruses suggest 'German measles' jumped from animals to humans |url=https://www.science.org/content/article/newly-discovered-viruses-suggest-rubella-jumped-animals-humans |journal=Science |language=en |doi=10.1126/science.abf1520 |s2cid=225112037|url-access=subscription }}</ref> This discovery was made during a search for coronaviruses present in bat populations.<ref name="phys">{{Cite web |last=Kelly April Tyrrell |date=2020-10-07 |title=First relatives of rubella virus discovered in bats in Uganda and mice in Germany |url=https://phys.org/news/2020-10-relatives-rubella-virus-uganda-mice.html |access-date=2021-03-26 |website=phys.org |language=en}}</ref>

==Etymology== Ruhugu virus was named after the Ruteete region of Uganda and the word in the local Tooro language, which describes "the flapping of bat wings in the hollow of a tree: obuhuguhugu"<ref name="phys"/>

==Structure== Ruhugu virus is closely related to Rubella virus and differs in only one amino acid in the protein it uses to get into host cells.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bennett |first1=Andrew |title=Relatives of rubella virus in diverse mammals |journal=Nature |year=2020 |volume=586 |issue=7829 |pages=424–428 |doi=10.1038/s41586-020-2812-9 |pmid=33029010 |pmc=7572621 |bibcode=2020Natur.586..424B }}</ref> In the fusion protein of the virus and two putative T cell epitopes in the capsid protein of the ruhugu virus the amino acid sequences of four putative B cell epitopes are moderately to highly conserved, suggesting ruhugu viruses have a similar capacity for fusion with the host-cell membrane like rubella virus.<ref name="nature">{{Cite journal |last1=Bennett |first1=Andrew J. |last2=Paskey |first2=Adrian C. |last3=Ebinger |first3=Arnt |last4=Pfaff |first4=Florian |last5=Priemer |first5=Grit |last6=Höper |first6=Dirk |last7=Breithaupt |first7=Angele |last8=Heuser |first8=Elisa |last9=Ulrich |first9=Rainer G. |last10=Kuhn |first10=Jens H. |last11=Bishop-Lilly |first11=Kimberly A. |date=2020-10-07 |title=Relatives of rubella virus in diverse mammals |url= |journal=Nature |volume=586 |issue=7829 |language=en |pages=424–428 |doi=10.1038/s41586-020-2812-9 |pmid=33029010 |issn=1476-4687|pmc=7572621 |bibcode=2020Natur.586..424B }}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

Category:Rubivirus