title: Isolation and characterization of an endogenous cytomegalovirus (BaCMV) from baboons.
abstract: This report describes the isolation of CMV-like viruses from olive, yellow and chacma sub-species of baboons. The viruses were identified as CMVs by their characteristic growth properties in cell culture, virion morphology under the TEM, and antigenic cross-reactivity with other primate CMVs. The glycoprotein B gene homologue from an olive baboon CMV isolate (BaCMV OCOM4-37) was identified, cloned and sequenced. We present the sequence of this gene and by phylogenetic analysis demonstrate that BaCMV is in fact a cytomegalovirus, and is more closely related to rhesus CMV than to human CMV. An ELISA was developed to measure anti-BaCMV antibodies in baboon sera. Serological testing of colony-bred and wild-born baboons indicated that BaCMV is ubiquitous in all baboon populations, with >95% of adult baboons of all sub-species being infected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Tulsa 74107, USA. micro@earlblewett.net
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Blewett
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Saliki
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eberle
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008992:Monkey Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D010215:Papio / Q000821:virology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014771:Virion / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014776:Virus Cultivation
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C040495:glycoprotein B, Simplexvirus