ARS | Publication request: Large subunit of the ribonucleotide reductase gene is a virulent factor and plays a critical role in Marek's disease virus pathogenesis

Submitted to: American Veterinary Medical Association Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: August 5, 2012
Publication Date: August 5, 2012
Citation: Lee, L.F., Sun, A., Heidari, M., Silva, R.F., Lupiani, B., Reddy, S.M. 2012. Large subunit of the ribonucleotide reductase gene is a virulent factor and plays a critical role in Marek's disease virus pathogenesis. American Veterinary Medical Association Abstract. Paper No. 12501.

Technical Abstract: Marek’s disease virus (MDV) encodes a ribonucleotide reductase (RR) gene consisting of two subunits UL39 (RR1) and UL40 (RR2). Both RR1 and RR2 form an active holoenzyme and are necessary for enzyme activity. This gene was indentified by monoclonal antibody T81 in a gt11 MDV expression library and found to be highly conserved in all 3 serotypes of MDV. MDV RR is expressed abundantly in the cytoplasm of MDV infected duck embryo fibroblasts and is also highly expressed in lymphoid organs and feather follicles throughout the infected chickens. The persistent expression of RR in infected chickens suggests an important role in MDV pathogenesis. Using recombinant DNA technology we have generated a mutant MDV in which RR1 was deleted. Deletion of RR1 did not impair virus growth in vitro. In vivo pathogenesis studies, however, indicate that it plays a critical role in viral pathogenesis.