title: Genetic characterization of L-Zagreb mumps vaccine strain.
abstract: Eleven mumps vaccine strains, all containing live attenuated virus, have been used throughout the world. Although L-Zagreb mumps vaccine has been licensed since 1972, only its partial nucleotide sequence was previously determined (accession numbers , and ). Therefore, we sequenced the entire genome of L-Zagreb vaccine strain (Institute of Immunology Inc., Zagreb, Croatia). In order to investigate the genetic stability of the vaccine, sequences of both L-Zagreb master seed and currently produced vaccine batch were determined and no difference between them was observed. A phylogenetic analysis based on SH gene sequence has shown that L-Zagreb strain does not belong to any of established mumps genotypes and that it is most similar to old, laboratory preserved European strains (1950s-1970s). L-Zagreb nucleotide and deduced protein sequences were compared with other mumps virus sequences obtained from the GenBank. Emphasis was put on functionally important protein regions and known antigenic epitopes. The extensive comparisons of nucleotide and deduced protein sequences between L-Zagreb vaccine strain and other previously determined mumps virus sequences have shown that while the functional regions of HN, V, and L proteins are well conserved among various mumps strains, there can be a substantial amino acid difference in antigenic epitopes of all proteins and in functional regions of F protein. No molecular pattern was identified that can be used as a distinction marker between virulent and attenuated strains.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biomedicine Unit, Department of Research and Development, Institute of Immunology Inc., Rockefellerova 10, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia. jivancic@imz.hr
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ivancic
authors.forename: Tanja Kosutic
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Gulija
authors.forename: Dubravko
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Forcic
authors.forename: Marijana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baricevic
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jug
authors.forename: Majda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mesko-Prejac
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mazuran
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000939:Epitopes; D005819:Genetic Markers; D016679:Genome, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009108:Mumps Vaccine / Q000235:genetics*; D009109:Mumps virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004279:DNA, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D005819:Genetic Markers; D009108:Mumps Vaccine; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; C067386:small hydrophobic protein, Mumps virus