title: Analysis of interstrain variation in cytomegalovirus glycoprotein B sequences encoding neutralization-related epitopes.
abstract: Nucleotide sequences of a part of the envelope glycoprotein B (gB) gene of human cytomegalovirus (CMV), encoding epitopes recognized by virus-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies, were determined for 12 distinct clinical strains of CMV after amplification of suitable templates using the polymerase chain reaction. Sequence analysis of this region (codons 384-717) revealed that the clinical strains and previously sequenced laboratory strains Towne and AD169 belong to one of four variant groups, each with a characteristic nucleotide and peptide sequence. Peptide homology was greater than 99% for strains within a group, and varied from 91% to 98% for strains in different groups. Variation was most frequent between codons 448 and 480. The gB group of a CMV strain could be determined by restriction analysis of a small target sequence amplified from viral genomic DNA, and an additional 28 clinical strains were grouped in this manner. The existence of a limited number of variants of gB among clinical strains facilitates analysis of biologic function and cross-reactivity of immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Medical Service, VA Medical Center, Portland, OR 97207.
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Dennison
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry; D000939:Epitopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C040495:glycoprotein B, Simplexvirus