Dear All, We are delighted to announce the publication of our paper in Scientific Reports: Peletto S, Caruso C, Cerutti F, Modesto P, Biolatti C, Pautasso A, Grattarola C, Giorda F, Mazzariol S, Mignone W, Masoero L, Casalone C, Acutis PL. Efficient isolation on Vero.DogSLAMtag cells and full genome characterization of Dolphin Morbillivirus (DMV) by next generation sequencing. Sci Rep.<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29339753#> 2018 Jan 16;8(1):860. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-19269-2.? Abstract: The Dolphin Morbillivirus (DMV) genome from the first Mediterranean epidemic (1990-'92) is the only cetacean Morbillivirus that has been completely sequenced. Here, we report the first application of next generation sequencing (NGS) to morbillivirus infection of aquatic mammals. A viral isolate, representative of the 2006-'08 Mediterranean epidemic (DMV_IZSPLV_2008), efficiently grew on Vero.DogSLAMtag cells and was submitted to whole genome characterization by NGS. The final genome length was 15,673 nucleotides, covering 99.82% of the DMV reference genome. Comparison of DMV_IZSPLV_2008 and 1990-'92 DMV strain sequences revealed 157 nucleotide mutations and 47 amino acid changes. The sequence similarity was 98.7% at the full genome level. Whole-genome phylogeny suggested that the DMV strain circulating during the 2006-'08 epidemics emerged from the 1990-'92 DMV strain. Viral isolation is considered the "gold standard" for morbillivirus diagnostics but efficient propagation of infectious virus is difficult to achieve. The successful cell replication of this strain allowed performing NGS directly from the viral RNA, without prior PCR amplification. We therefore provide to the scientific community a second DMV genome, representative of another major outbreak. Interestingly, genome comparison revealed that the neglected L gene encompasses 74% of the genetic diversity and might serve as "hypervariable" target for strain characterization. You can find the article here: http://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-19269-2 Or send any enquires directly to me at: simone.peletto@izsto.it <mailto:carla.grattarola@izsto.it> Best regards, Simone Peletto Simone Peletto, PhD S.S. Genetica e Immunobiochimica Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta Via Bologna 148, 10154 TORINO - ITALIA Tel. (+39) 011 2686245 e-mail: simone.peletto@izsto.it<mailto:simone.peletto@izsto.it> www.izsto.it<http://www.izsto.it/>