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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Avian Disease and Oncology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #280815

Title: Cloning of a very virulent plus, 686 strain of Marek’s disease virus as a bacterial artificial chromosome.

Author
item SUN, AIJUN - Texas A&M University
item LUPIANI, BLANCA - Texas A&M University
item Lee, Lucy
item REDDY, SANJAY - Texas A&M University

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/24/2012
Publication Date: 6/24/2012
Citation: Sun, A., Lupiani, B., Lee, L.F., Reddy, S.M. 2012. Cloning of a very virulent plus, 686 strain of Marek’s disease virus as a bacterial artificial chromosome [abstract]. 9th International Symposium on Marek's Disease and Avian Herpesviruses, June 24-28, 2012, Freie Universitat Berlin. p. 40.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Marek’s disease virus (MDV) is a highly oncogenic herpesvirus that induces rapid onset of T-cell lymphomas in chicken. It has been well established that MDV strains increase in virulence over time, possibly due to the widespread use of vaccination to control Marek’s disease. One of the most pathogenic strains belonging to the very virulent plus pathotype, strain 686 is used as challenge virus in vaccine studies. Bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) and cosmid clones have been previously developed from vaccine, virulent and very virulent strains of MDV. We report the construction of BAC clone from a very virulent plus, 686 strain of MDV by inserting mini-F vector sequences into the US2 gene 686-BAC. Inoculation of chickens with 686-BAC, resulted in rapid onset of lymphomas and similar disease manifestation as that of the parental strain.