title: A region at the left end of the fowl adenovirus 9 genome that is non-essential in vitro has consequences in vivo.
abstract: The regions at the left and right ends of fowl adenovirus (FAdV) genomes are not well-characterized in comparison to those of human adenoviruses. Using a series of deletion mutants, we analysed a 2.4 kb region near the left end of the FAdV-9 genome (nt 400-2782) that contains packaging-signal motifs VI and VII and open reading frames (ORFs) 0, 1, 1A, 1B, 1C and 2. Viable viruses with specific deletions in this region had wild-type characteristics in vitro, as measured by cytopathic effect, plaque morphology, virus titres and growth kinetics. However, one mutant (FAdV-9Delta4), which lacked these ORFs and retained the packaging motifs, did not replicate at wild-type levels in vivo, as judged in infected eggs by virus titres in allantoic fluid and in infected chickens by antibody responses, virus titres in faeces and virus genome copy numbers in tissues. These findings indicate that some of the ORFs in this region, although dispensable in vitro, are important for in vivo replication of FAdV-9.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Corredor
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nagy
mesh_terms: D000482:Allantois / Q000821:virology; D000818:Animals; D000259:Aviadenovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002645:Chickens; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D004531:Eggs / Q000821:virology; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D016679:Genome, Viral; D050296:Microbial Viability; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D019562:Viral Load; D010948:Viral Plaque Assay; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral