Cytochrome oxidase gene sequencing reveals channel catfish ovary cell line is contaminated with brown bullhead cells

The channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus, Rafinesque) ovary (CCO) cell line is the standard cell line used for channel catfish diagnostics. Next‐gen sequencing studies of a virus cultured in the CCO cells revealed mitochondrial sequences matching those of brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus, Lesueur). Therefore, we systematically performed partial cytochrome oxidase 1 gene sequencing of several sources of the CCO cell line and all matched the brown bullhead and not the channel catfish.