Nervous necrosis virus (NNV) is the causative agent of the viral encephalopathy
and retinopathy, a disease that affects cultured Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis). A NNV reassortant (Ss160.03), combining genomic
segments from red-spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV) and
striped jack nervous necrosis virus (SJNNV) genotypes, has been previously
isolated from Senegalese sole, being highly virulent to this fish species. The
RNA-Seq technology has been used in a previous study to comparatively
analyse Senegalese sole transcriptomes in two organs (head kidney and
eye/brain) after infection with two NNV virus with different levels of
virulence to that fish species, a highly virulent reassortant isolate
(wSs160.03) and a less virulent mutant reassortant obtained by reverse
genetics (rSs160.03247þ270). To validate previous RNA-Seq results, a 112-
assay OpenArray® platform (Thermofisher) has been designed. This platform
included 89 genes chosen according to transcriptomic changes
observed by RNA-Seq (covering PRRs, type I IFN response, signal transduction,
inflammation, virus responsive genes, and apoptosis), 17 genes
selected based on their previously described relation with the immune
response against fish viral infections, and 6 control genes (including 3
endogenous genes and 3 viral genes).