title: Sensitive and specific detection of bovine immunodeficiency virus and bovine syncytial virus by 5' Taq nuclease assays with fluorescent 3' minor groove binder-DNA probes.
abstract: Sensitive assays are required to detect bovine retroviruses in donor cattle used for the in vivo preparation of Australian tick fever vaccines. 5' Taq nuclease assays using 3' minor groove binder DNA probes (TaqMan)MGB) were developed and compared to conventional PCR assays for the sensitive detection of bovine syncytial virus (BSV) and bovine immunodeficiency virus (BIV). Seven beef and dairy herds were screened to evaluate these tests. Comparative sensitivities of PCR tests were determined by testing log(10) dilutions of plasmids with inserts containing corresponding provirus sequences. Published PCR assays targeting BIV env sequences did not adequately amplify Australian BIV sequences. Pol sequences from Australian strains of BIV and BSV were used to design TaqMan MGB assays, which improved sensitivity 10-fold (BIV) and 100-fold (BSV), respectively, over conventional PCR tests. This is the first report of Australian sequences of BIV and BSV and the first 5' Taq nuclease assays described to detect these viruses. These methods could be applied to future studies requiring sensitive detection of these two bovine retroviruses.
authors.affiliation: Agency for Food and Fibre Sciences, Queensland Department of Primary Industries, c/o Locked Mail Bag No. 4, Moorooka, 4105, Qld, Australia. ala.lew@dpi.qld.gov.au
authors.forename: Ala E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Lew
authors.forename: Russell E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Bock
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miles
authors.forename: Leigh B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Cuttell
authors.forename: Penelope
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Steer
authors.forename: Susan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Nadin-Davis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D015342:DNA Probes; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D005814:Genes, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D015752:Genes, env / Q000235:genetics; D015751:Genes, pol / Q000235:genetics; D016087:Immunodeficiency Virus, Bovine / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016180:Lentivirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D015335:Molecular Probes; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D016092:Spumavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D015335:Molecular Probes