Chinese giant salamander Bcl-w: An inhibitory role in iridovirus-induced mitochondrial apoptosis and virus replication

•Over-expression of AdBcl-w inhibited the apoptotic process during GSIV infection while RNAi of AdBcl-w promoted this process.•Over-expression of AdBcl-w can effectively reduce the replication of GSIV.•The interaction of AdBcl-w and AdBak reduced after GSIV infection.•Over-expression of AdBcl-w restrained the mRNA expression of molecules in p53 pathway during GSIV infection.