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Investigation of predicted African swine fever virus-encoded surface proteins

Reference	BBS/E/I/00000189
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Linda Dixon
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	The Pirbright Institute
Department	The Pirbright Institute Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	17,790
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/1997
End date	30/09/1998
Duration	18 months

Abstract

The ASFV genome encodes 26 proteins with predicted transmembrane domains. These may be present in virions in either internal or external lipid membranes and/or expressed on the cell surface or in internal cellular membranes. as such these proteins are likely to have important roles in virus entry, morphogenesis, egress or in modulating host cell responses either by interacting with host cell proteins either within the same cell or in different cells. This work is relevant to the BBSRC Agricultural Systems Directorate priorities on animal Disease Pathogenesis in understanding how viruses invade cells and move between cells and identification of pathogen-encoded genes whose products may target and/or manipulate some component of the host cell response. Seven ASFV genes (i1L, j5R, j13L, j18L, k8R, k11L, l10L) encoding proteins with predicted transmembrane domains were expressed in E. coli and antisera raised against the expressed proteins. This antisera was used to study the expression and localisation of these proteins during ASFV infection of cells by Western blotting and immunofluorescence. Six of these proteins were present in virus factories and in purified virions. Five were expressed late during virus infection and two were expressed both early and late. One of these proteins (j13L) varied in size by up to 2 kDa when the gene was compared from different virus isolates. This size variation was due to variation in the number and sequence of two arrays of tandemly repeated sequences. These may provide a mechanism for antigenic variation of the protein and suggests that this protein may be subjected to immune pressure. Interestingly antibodies against this protein are amongst the earliest detected during ASFV infection of pigs. Identifying proteins which are important for ASFV entry into cells and movement between cells may enable vaccination strategies to be designed which interfere with these processes.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Animal Sciences (AS)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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