title: Detection of a nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA2)-variant Epstein-Barr virus strain in two siblings with fatal lymphoproliferative disease.
abstract: An EBV type 1 variant strain was detected in two Turkish siblings (boy and girl), who both suffered and died from similar progressive Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated lymphoproliferative disease. Molecular characterisation of this EBV isolate revealed a 51bp-deletion and six nucleotide changes within the Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA2). Both isolates contained EBV type 2 sequences in the Epstein-Barr virus-encoded small RNAs (EBER), which are 40 kb proximal to EBNA2. Sequencing of the EBV isolates in a region of Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 3 (EBNA3a), which is 40 kb distal to EBNA2, revealed the normal EBV type 1 sequence of laboratory strain B95-8. This EBV isolate may represent a distinct wild type EBV strain with altered biological properties. It is suggested that this EBNA2-variant strain may be responsible at least in part for the severe clinical course in both affected children.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, University of Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schuster
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seidenspinner
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Kreth
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens