title: Highly effective inhibition of Akabane virus replication by siRNA genes.
abstract: Since 2002 there has been a rise in arthrogryposis/hydranencephaly (AGH) incidence in Israel, caused by Akabane (AKA) and, possibly, Aino viruses. To test the ability to control the disease, three siRNA genes targeted to the S genome segment were designed and prepared in the form of siRNA cassettes. For the design all published S segment were aligned and two conserved target sequences with 100% homology were chosen. A third conserved target that was found exhibited only one base change found in the two Australian isolates and was also designed and tested. It was demonstrated that cells transfected with single siRNA genes showed 99% inhibition, as measured by real-time RT-PCR, virus titration and immunofluorescence. When cells were transfected with all three genes together the inhibition levels were increased and reached almost 100%.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Virology Department, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12272, Jerusalem 91120, Israel.
authors.forename: Aviad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: Larisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kutznetova
authors.forename: Ronen
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kahana
authors.forename: Marisol
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rubinstein-Guini
authors.forename: Yehuda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Stram
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002044:Bunyaviridae Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D016384:Consensus Sequence; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D016679:Genome, Viral; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012840:Simbu virus / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection; D014709:Vero Cells; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D034741:RNA, Small Interfering