This report describes and characterizes a novel entomobirnavirus, designated Port Bolivar virus (PTBV), that was isolated Soft Toy from a pool of Aedes sollicitans mosquitoes collected in a saltwater marsh in East Texas, USA.Full genome sequencing and phylogenetic analyses indicate that PTBV is distinct but genetically related to Drosophila X virus and mosquito X virus, which are assigned to species in the genus Entomobirnavirus, family Birnaviridae.PTBV produced cytopathic effect (CPE) in cultures of mosquito (C6/36) cells, but not in Vero cell cultures.
Ultrastructural studies of PTBV in infected Coaster Set C6/36 cells demonstrated unenveloped virus particles about 55 nm in diameter.