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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Endemic Poultry Viral Diseases Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #298768
Title: Molecular characterization of the complete genome of falconid herpesvirus strain S-18

Author
item Spatz, Stephen
item VOLKENING, JEREMY - Former ARS Employee
item Ross, Teresa

Submitted to: Virus Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/6/2014
Publication Date: 3/29/2014
Citation: Spatz, S.J., Volkening, J.D., Ross, T.A. 2014. Molecular characterization of the complete genome of falconid herpesvirus strain S-18. Virus Research. 188:109-121.

Interpretive Summary: The complete nucleotide sequence of falcon herpesvirus type I was determined using next-generation sequencing technologies. The data suggest that falcon id herpesvirus type I is closely related to anatid herpesvirus type I, the causative agent of duck plague. The analysis provides insight to the genes involved in pathogenicity.

Technical Abstract: Falconid herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1) is the causative agent of falcon inclusion body disease, an acute, highly contagious disease of raptors. The complete nucleotide sequence of the genome of FHV-1 has been determined. The genome is arranged as a D-type genome with large inverted repeats flanking a unique short region and short inverted repeats of only 250 bp flanking a unique long region. The FHV-1 genome contains 131 predicted open reading frames that a greater than 100 codons in length. Phylogenetically, FHV-1 is closely related to Anatid herpesvirus 1 and both represent a phylogenetic unique clade of alphaherpesviruses that are distinct from the Itoviruses (PsHV-1 and GaHV-1) and Mardiviruses (GaHV-2, GaHV-3 and MeHV-1). The determination of the genomic sequence of FHV-1 provides the bases for functional analysis of this unique class of avian alphaherpesviruses.