The sequences of the ribonucleotide reductase genes from African swine fever virus show considerable homology with those of the orthopoxvirus, vaccinia virus.
Two African swine fever virus (ASFV) recombinant plasmids containing large inserts of DNA have been sequenced at random, and translations of the DNA sequence have been compared to libraries of vaccinia virus protein sequences. Among other genes identified by their extensive homology with vaccinia virus genes were the large and small subunits of ribonucleotide reductase. A 5.5-kb fragment from the Malawi (LIL20/1) strain of ASFV was identified as containing the genes for both these subunits. The fragment has been sequenced and the two genes have been found to be in a head-to-head orientation. The sequences are compared to other sequenced ribonucleotide reductase genes, and the evolutionary implications discussed.
Boursnell
M
M
AFRC Institute for Animal Health, Pirbright Laboratory, Woking, Surrey, United Kingdom.
Shaw
K
K
Yáñez
R J
RJ
Viñuela
E
E
Dixon
L
L
D000358:African Swine Fever Virus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005075:Biological Evolution; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010957:Plasmids; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D012264:Ribonucleotide Reductases / Q000235:genetics*; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D012984:Software; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D014709:Vero Cells
D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D012264:Ribonucleotide Reductases