A borna virus cDNA encoding a protein recognized by antibodies in humans with behavioral diseases.
Borna disease virus (BDV) causes a rare neurological disease in horses and sheep. The virus has not been classified because neither an infectious particle nor a specific nucleic acid had been identified. To identify the genome of BDV, a subtractive complementary DNA expression library was constructed with polyadenylate-selected RNA from a BDV-infected MDCK cell line. A clone (B8) was isolated that specifically hybridized to RNA isolated from BDV-infected brain tissue and BDV-infected cell lines. This clone hybridized to four BDV-specific positive strand RNAs (10.5, 3.6, 2.1, and 0.85 kilobases) and one negative strand RNA (10.5 kilobases) in BDV-infected rat brain. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the clone suggested that it represented a full-length messenger RNA which contained several open reading frames. In vitro transcription and translation of the clone resulted in the synthesis of the 14- and 24-kilodalton BDV-specific proteins. The 24-kilodalton protein, when translated in vitro from the clone, was recognized by antibodies in the sera of patients (three of seven) with behavioral disorders. This BDV-specific clone will provide the means to isolate the other BDV-specific nucleic acids and to identify the virus responsible for Borna disease. In addition, the significance of BDV or a BDV-related virus as a human pathogen can now be more directly examined.
VandeWoude
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S
Colorado State University, Lab Animal Resources, Fort Collins 80532.
Richt
J A
JA
Zink
M C
MC
Rott
R
R
Narayan
O
O
Clements
J E
JE
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001890:Borna Disease / Q000382:microbiology*; D001891:Borna disease virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D001921:Brain / Q000382:microbiology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000382:microbiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; D004247:DNA