Establishment of a Cell Line from Chinese Soft-shelled Turtle Pelodiscus sinensis with the Practicability of Transfection and Viral Replication

Abstract

A continuous cell line derived from extracranial carotid artery of the Chinese soft-shelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis was established and characterized. It was named as STA (soft-shelled turtle artery) cell line. The cells were muscle-cell like, and were stained with antibody against smooth muscle myofilament marker, α-smooth muscle actin. These cells had a normal diploid chromosome number of 2n = 66, and their 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA sequences shared 99% identity with ones of the turtle in database. The cell line can be cultured well in media DMEM/F12 or M199 supplemented with 10% FBS at 28°C. It was further demonstrated that the cells were transfected successfully with pTurbo plasmid, with a transfection efficiency being over 30%. The soft-shelled turtle iridovirus (STIV) propagated in the cell line, causing typical CPE with the formation of inclusion bodies. It is suggested that the established STA cell line provides a convenient platform for studying the pathogenesis of STIV and biological aspects of the turtle.