Selection and Characterization of Aptamers for Specific Detection of Iridovirus Disease in Cultured Hybrid Grouper (epinephelus Fuscoguttatus♀ × E. Lanceolatus♂)

Grouper iridovirus is a nucleocytoplasmic DNA virus which not only causes great economic losses in mariculture but also seriously threatens the global biodiversity. To further elucidate the molecular mechanism of grouper iridovirus pathogenesis, and provide the new theoretical basis for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of grouper iridovirus disease, in this study, we generated four single-stranded DNA aptamers against SGIV-Gx infected cells using systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX). Then, the properties of aptamers were characterized. Firstly, each aptamer exhibited high specificity and affinity to grouper iridovirus Guangxi strain (SGIV-Gx)-infected cells. Secondly, aptamers exerted no cytotoxic effects, and aptamer LYGV3 appeared to inhibit SGIV-Gx infection in vitro. The target molecules of LYGV1, LYGV2, LYGV3 and LYGV4 could be directly or indirectly related to surface proteins anchored on the membranes of SGIV-Gx infected cells. The targets of aptamers (LYGV1, LYGV2, LYGV3 and LYGV4) appeared on the cells surface in 2, 4, 8 and 6 h post infection.