title: Identification and characterisation of the genomic segment 7 of the infectious salmon anaemia virus genome.
abstract: The isolation and characterisation of a gene encoding the putative matrix proteins of infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV) is reported. Following identification of an ISAV-specific sequence from a cDNA library, RACE-PCR was used to identify a mRNA transcript of approximately 1.2 kb containing the ISAV consensus sequence GCTAAGA at the 5' end. Although the cDNA transcript and its putative protein product did not possess high homology with other orthomyxoviral sequences, similarity to a paramyxovirus fusion glycoprotein and viral cell surface proteins was identified. The size of this transcript suggested that it was derived from segment 7 of the ISAV genome and encoded the matrix proteins. Like syntenic segments of other orthomyxoviruses, this segment was shown to encode at least two matrix proteins, M1 and M2. The existence of M1 and M2 ISAV mRNA was demonstrated by RT-PCR and sequencing, with the M1 transcript being more abundant than the M2 in infected cell cultures, as is found in other orthomyxoviruses. Nucleotide sequence comparison of segment 7 of the ISAV genome from isolates of different geographic origin indicated it to be the one of the most variable of the ISAV genes characterised to date.
authors.affiliation: RPC, 921 College Hill Road, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada E3B 6Z9.
authors.forename: Rachael J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Ritchie
authors.forename: Aude
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bardiot
authors.forename: Krista
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Melville
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: Carey O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Snow
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D004279:DNA, Viral; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D016679:Genome, Viral; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012474:Salmon / Q000821:virology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; C459195:M1 protein, infectious salmon anaemia virus; C459196:M2 protein, infectious salmon anaemia virus; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins