Comparison of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus and Aigai virus in life cycle modeling systems reveals a difference in L protein activity

Aigai virus (AIGV) is a closely related virus to Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), which was formally designed as CCHFV genotype VI, Europe II, or AP92-like virus. The AIGV has been proposed to be less virulent than CCHFV. Using a minigenome and transcriptionally competent virus-like particle assay, it was demonstrated that the polymerase activity of AIGV L protein is less effective than that of CCHFV L protein, suggesting responsible for the differences in viral pathogenesis. The observed difference is not related with the ovarian tumor-type protease domain in the L protein.