Analysis of the monkeypox virus genome.
Monkeypox virus (MPV) belongs to the orthopoxvirus genus of the family Poxviridae, is endemic in parts of Africa, and causes a human disease that resembles smallpox. The 196,858-bp MPV genome was analyzed with regard to structural features and open reading frames. Each end of the genome contains an identical but oppositely oriented 6379-bp terminal inverted repetition, which similar to that of other orthopoxviruses, includes a putative telomere resolution sequence and short tandem repeats. Computer-assisted analysis was used to identify 190 open reading frames containing >/=60 amino acid residues. Of these, four were present within the inverted terminal repetition. MPV contained the known essential orthopoxvirus genes but only a subset of the putative immunomodulatory and host range genes. Sequence comparisons confirmed the assignment of MPV as a distinct species of orthopoxvirus that is not a direct ancestor or a direct descendent of variola virus, the causative agent of smallpox.
Shchelkunov
S N
SN
State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology Vector, Koltsovo, Novosibirsk Region, Russia.
Totmenin
A V
AV
Safronov
P F
PF
Mikheev
M V
MV
Gutorov
V V
VV
Ryazankina
O I
OI
Petrov
N A
NA
Babkin
I V
IV
Uvarova
E A
EA
Sandakhchiev
L S
LS
Sisler
J R
JR
Esposito
J J
JJ
Damon
I K
IK
Jahrling
P B
PB
Moss
B
B
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008993:Monkeypox virus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D004279:DNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins