Complete genome characterization of the Kyzylagach virus (KYZV) (Togaviridae, Alphavirus, Sindbis serogroup) isolated from mosquitoes Culex modestus Ficalbi, 1889 (Culicinae) collected in a colony of herons (Ardeidae Leach, 1820) in Azerbaijan

Complete genome sequencing of the Kyzylagach virus (KYZV) LEIV-65A strain isolated from the Culex modestus Ficalbi, 1889 (Culicinae), which was collected in the colony of the Ardeidae Leach, 1820 birds on the coast of Caspian sea, Kyzyl-Agach bay, in the southern part of Azerbaijan, was carried out. KYZV has high homology (about 99%) with the Chinese XJ-160 strain of the Sindbis virus (SINV) isolated from Anopheles sp. in Xinjiang Uyghur autonomic region (north-eastern China). Homologies of KYZV and XJ-160 with European SINV strains are 82% and 93% for the nucleotide and amino acid sequences, respectively (GenBank ID: KF981618). The difference between the nucleotide sequences of KYZV and Australian SINV/SW6562 strain is 19%; amino acid sequences, 12%. Since XJ-160 strain is extremely similar to KYZV, the first could be considered as the KYZV strain. The geography of the KYZV and XJ-160 isolation points and their genetic distance from the European viruses allow the KYZV to be suggested as a SINV (genotype IV) topotypic variant typical of Transcaucasia and Central Asia.