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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » Animal Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #183383
Title: A NOVEL SUBGROUP OF RHADINOVIRUSES IN RUMINANTS

Author
item Li, Hong
item Gailbreath, Katherine
item FLACH, E - INSTITUTE OF ZOOLOGY, UK
item Taus, Naomi
item COOLEY, J - NC VET DIAGNOSTIC LAB
item Keller, Janice
item RUSSELL, G - MOREDUM RSRCH INST., UK
item Knowles Jr, Donald
item HAIG, D - MOREDUM RSRCH INST., UK
item OAKS, J - WASHINGTON STATE UNIV.
item Traul, Donald
item CRAWFORD, T - WASHINGTON STATE UNIV.

Submitted to: Journal of General Virology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/10/2005
Publication Date: 11/1/2005
Citation: Li, H., Gailbreath, K.L., Flach, E.J., Taus, N.S., Cooley, J., Keller, J., Russell, G., Knowles Jr, D.P., Haig, D.M., Oaks, J.L., Traul, D., Crawford, T.B. 2005. A novel subgroup of rhadinoviruses in ruminants. Journal of General Virology. 86: 3021-3026.

Interpretive Summary: Herpesviruses are highly disseminated in nature and most animals are naturally infected at least one herpesvirus. Many more herpesviruses, particularly members of the gammaherpesvirus subfamily, have been recently recognized in a variety of species with newer molecular technology. Rhadinovirus is one of two groups of gammaherpesviruses. In the course of investigating the malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) subgroup of rhadinoviruses, seven novel rhadinoviruses were identified in a variety of ruminants, namely domestic sheep, bighorn sheep, bison, black-tailed deer, mule deer, fallow deer, elk, and addax, which could be divided into a second distinct subgroup in ruminants with three members identified previously in cattle, domestic goats and Oryx. No association with disease has yet been found for the viruses in this subgroup. Based on the genetic data from the study, the currently known ruminant rhadinoviruses appear to comprise three distinct subgroups: 1) the MCF-subgroup, defined by sequence homology and the presence of the 15A specific antigenic determinant; 2) a second distinct subgroup, devoid of 15A antigenic determinant, which contains the previously reported bovine lymphotropic herpesvirus and related viurses; and 3) a third distinct subgroup represented by bovine herpesvirus-4. Comparison of phylogenetic trees between the rhadinoviruses and their corresponding hosts further supports the gammaherpesvirus-host co-evolution theory.

Technical Abstract: In the course of investigating the malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) subgroup of rhadinoviruses, seven novel rhadinoviruses were identified in a variety of ruminants, namely domestic sheep, bighorn sheep, bison, black-tailed deer, mule deer, fallow deer, elk, and addax, which clustered into a second distinct subgroup in ruminants with three members identified previously in cattle, domestic goats and Oryx. No association with disease has yet been found for the viruses in this subgroup. Genetic relationships of these viruses were evaluated by sequencing the respective amplicons yielded by PCR amplification of peripheral blood leukocyte DNA using herpesvirus-specific degenerate primers targeting a portion of the viral DNA polymerase gene. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the currently known ruminant rhadinoviruses appear to comprise three distinct genetic lineages: 1) the MCF-subgroup, defined by sequence homology and the presence of the 15A antigenic epitope; 2) a second distinct subgroup, devoid of 15A epitope, which contains the previously reported bovine lymphotropic herpesvirus and related viurses; and 3) a third distinct subgroup represented by bovine herpesvirus-4. Comparison of phylogenetic trees between the rhadinoviruses and their corresponding hosts further supports the gammaherpesvirus-host co-evolution theory.