title: The first genome sequence of a metatherian herpesvirus: Macropodid herpesvirus 1.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While many placental herpesvirus genomes have been fully sequenced, the complete genome of a marsupial herpesvirus has not been described. Here we present the first genome sequence of a metatherian herpesvirus, Macropodid herpesvirus 1 (MaHV-1).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MaHV-1 viral genome was sequenced using an Illumina MiSeq sequencer, de novo assembly was performed and the genome was annotated. The MaHV-1 genome was 140 kbp in length and clustered phylogenetically with the primate simplexviruses, sharing 67% nucleotide sequence identity with Human herpesviruses 1 and 2. The MaHV-1 genome contained 66 predicted open reading frames (ORFs) homologous to those in other herpesvirus genomes, but lacked homologues of UL3, UL4, UL56 and glycoprotein J. This is the first alphaherpesvirus genome that has been found to lack the UL3 and UL4 homologues. We identified six novel ORFs and confirmed their transcription by RT-PCR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first genome sequence of a herpesvirus that infects metatherians, a taxonomically unique mammalian clade. Members of the Simplexvirus genus are remarkably conserved, so the absence of ORFs otherwise retained in eutherian and avian alphaherpesviruses contributes to our understanding of the Alphaherpesvirinae. Further study of metatherian herpesvirus genetics and pathogenesis provides a unique approach to understanding herpesvirus-mammalian interactions.
authors.affiliation: Asia Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Building 400, Parkville, 3010, VIC, Australia. pvaz@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Paola K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Vaz
authors.affiliation: Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, Centre for Animal Science, The University of Queensland, Ritchie Building (64A), St Lucia, 4072, QLD, Australia. t.mahony@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Timothy J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Mahony
authors.affiliation: Asia Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Building 400, Parkville, 3010, VIC, Australia. carolah@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hartley
authors.affiliation: Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Animal Science, St Lucia, 4072, QLD, Australia. elizabeth.fowler@daf.qld.gov.au.
authors.forename: Elizabeth V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.affiliation: Asia Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Building 400, Parkville, 3010, VIC, Australia. n.ficorilli@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Nino
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ficorilli
authors.affiliation: Asia Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Building 400, Parkville, 3010, VIC, Australia. sang-won.lee@unimelb.edu.au.|College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, 143-701, Republic of Korea. sang-won.lee@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Sang W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Asia Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Building 400, Parkville, 3010, VIC, Australia. jrgilk@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Gilkerson
authors.affiliation: Asia Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Building 400, Parkville, 3010, VIC, Australia. glenfb@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Glenn F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Browning
authors.affiliation: Asia Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Building 400, Parkville, 3010, VIC, Australia. devlinj@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Joanne M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Devlin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016679:Genome, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014764:Viral Proteins