title: Sequence and phylogenetic analysis of host-range (E3L, K3L, and C7L) and structural protein (B5R) genes of buffalopox virus isolates from buffalo, cattle, and human in India.
abstract: Buffalopox virus (BPXV), a close variant of vaccinia virus (VACV) has emerged as a zoonotic pathogen. The host tropism of poxviruses is governed by host-range genes. Among the host-range genes: E3L, K3L, and C7L are essential for virus replication by preventing interferon resistance, whereas B5R is essential for spread of the virus and evasion from the host's immune response as in VACV. We report sequence analysis of host-range genes: E3L, K3L, C7L, and membrane protein gene (B5R) of BPXVs from buffalo, cattle, and human from recent outbreaks in India-their phylogenetic relationship with reference strain (BP4) and other Orthopoxviruses. BPXVs revealed a sequence homology with VACVs including zoonotic Brazilian VACV-like viruses. The aa sequences of E3L and K3L genes were 100 % similar in buffalo, cattle, and human isolates. However, four significant point mutations (I11K; N12K and S36F in C7L gene and D249G in B5R gene) were observed specific to buffalo isolate only. This signifies that different strains of BPXV were circulated during the outbreak. The mutations in C7L and B5R could play an important role in adaptation of BPXV in human and cattle which needs further functional studies. The strain of BPXV isolated from buffalo may not be adopted in human and cow. Various point mutations were observed in the host-range genes of reference strain (BPXV-BP4) which may be due to several passages of virus in cell culture. The phylogeny constructed based on concatenated gene sequences revealed that BPXVs are not as closely related to vaccine strain (Lister and Lister-derived strain-LC16m8), as hypothesized earlier, rather they are more closely related to reference strain (BPXV-BP4) and other vaccinia and vaccinia-like viruses such as Passatempo and Aracatuba viruses. The availability of information regarding host tropism determinants would allow us to understand molecular mechanism of species tropism of poxviruses which would be useful in unveiling new strategies to control zoonotic poxviral infections.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Type Culture Collection, National Research Centre on Equines, Sirsa Road, Hisar, Haryana, India. bcbpatent@gmail.com
authors.forename: Bidhan Ch
authors.initials: BCh
authors.lastname: Bera
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shanmugasundaram
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barua
authors.forename: Taruna
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Anand
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Riyesh
authors.forename: Rajesh K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Vaid
authors.forename: Nitin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Virmani
authors.forename: Manish
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bansal
authors.forename: Brihaspati N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Shukla
authors.forename: Praveen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.forename: Raj K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000818:Animals; D002020:Buffaloes / Q000821:virology; D002417:Cattle / Q000821:virology; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary; D005814:Genes, Viral; D058507:Host Specificity; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D017354:Point Mutation; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D012692:Serial Passage; D014615:Vaccinia / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D014709:Vero Cells; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: C082283:C7L protein, Vaccinia virus; D004279:DNA, Viral; C081374:E3L protein, Vaccinia virus; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; C081646:pK3 protein, Vaccinia virus; C074512:42kDa protein, Vaccinia virus