Sequence analysis of the leftward end of simian varicella virus (EcoRI-I fragment) reveals the presence of an 8-bp repeat flanking the unique long segment and an 881-bp open-reading frame that is absent in the varicella zoster virus genome.
Simian varicella virus (SVV) causes varicella (chickenpox) in nonhuman primates, becomes latent in cranial and dorsal root ganglia, and reactivates to produce zoster (shingles). Because the clinical and molecular features of SVV closely resemble those of varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection of humans, SVV infection of primates has served as an experimental model of VZV pathogenesis and latency. The SVV genome has been completely mapped, but attempts to clone the 3600-bp EcoRI fragment located at the leftward end of the virus genome have hitherto been unsuccessful. Herein, we report the cloning and the complete nucleotide sequence of this region. Comparison of the SVV and VZV sequences in this region revealed an 8-bp inverted repeat sequence flanking the unique long segment of the SVV genome; an 879-bp open-reading frame (ORF) A in SVV that is absent in VZV but has 42% amino acid identity to SVV ORF 4 and 49% to VZV ORF 4; a 342-bp ORF B in SVV with 35% amino acid identity to a 387-bp ORF located to the left of ORF 1 on the VZV genome; and a 303-bp ORF in SVV with 27% amino acid identity to VZV ORF 1. No homologue of VZV ORF 2 was detected. Transcripts specific for ORFs A and B were present in SVV-infected cells in culture and in acutely infected monkey ganglia. Overall, there are more than 2000 bp of DNA in the SVV genome that are absent in the VZV genome.
Mahalingam
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Department of Neurology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado 80262, USA. ravi.mahalingam@UCHSC.edu
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D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015246:Deoxyribonuclease EcoRI / Q000378:metabolism*; D005724:Ganglia / Q000821:virology; D005814:Genes, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D016679:Genome, Viral; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D007668:Kidney / Q000166:cytology / Q000821:virology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics*; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D018140:Varicellovirus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics
D004279:DNA, Viral; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; D015246:Deoxyribonuclease EcoRI