title: Nucleotide sequence of the envelope protein gene of the tick-borne flavivirus, Kumlinge A52.
abstract: The envelope protein gene of the tick-borne flavivirus, Kumlinge A52, the proto-type Finnish strain, has been amplified and sequenced.* The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence has been analyzed and compared with the closely related tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus, Western subtype, strain Neudoerfl, isolated in Austria. Although these two virus strains were isolated 12 years apart from different hosts and in different countries, the envelope proteins only differed by a single amino acid. It is likely, therefore, that strong selection pressures against antigenic variation exist. The possible reasons for this are discussed.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Whitby
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Jennings
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Barrett
mesh_terms: D000940:Antigenic Variation; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D004669:Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013045:Species Specificity; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins