Characterization of two pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 isolates in China.
For over three decades, there has been a continuing panzootic caused by a virulent variant avian paramyxovirus type 1 strain, the so-called pigeon paramyxovirus type 1. It is found primarily in racing pigeons, but it has also spread to wild birds and poultry. In this study, two pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 strains, SD12 and BJ13, obtained from diseased pigeons in China, were characterized. Phylogenetic analysis based on complete sequences allowed characterization of both strains as genotype VI, class II. Further phylogenetic analysis of a 374-nucleotide section of the fusion gene showed that SD12 fell into lineage VIbii-d and BJ13 into VIbii-f. The deduced amino acid sequence of the cleavage site of the fusion protein confirmed that both isolates contained the virulent motif (112)K/RRQKR↓F(117) at the cleavage site. Nevertheless, the values of intracerebral pathogenicity indices showed the SD12 isolate to be a velogenic strain and BJ13 isolate to be a mesogenic strain. The SD12 isolate was further investigated via clinical observation, RNA detection, histopathology and viral serology in experimentally infected 3-week-old chickens. It showed a mild pathological phenotype in chickens, with viral replication restricted to a few tissues. The molecular mechanism for the SD12 isolate to have a virulent motif but low levels of virulence for chickens requires further study.
a Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis, Ministry of Agriculture , College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University , Beijing , People's Republic of China.
Abie
A
Awu
Meng-yu
MY
Shao
Meng-meng
MM
Liu
Yan-xin
YX
Hu
Zhuo-ming
ZM
Qin
Fu-lin
FL
Tian
Guo-zhong
GZ
Zhang
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002681:China; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D010856:Columbidae; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009521:Newcastle Disease / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D009522:Newcastle disease virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D010802:Phylogeny; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D013045:Species Specificity
D017931:DNA Primers