IDENTIFICATION OF A POTENTIAL MAREKS-DISEASE VIRUS SEROTYPE-2 GLYCOPROTEIN-D GENE WITH HOMOLOGY TO HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRUS GLYCOPROTEIN-D - BRIEF REPORT

The gene of Marek's disease virus (MDV) serotype 2 (MDV2) homologous t o glycoprotein D (gD) of herpes simplex virus (HSV) was identified and characterized by its nucleotide and predicted amino acid sequences. T he MDV2 gD homologous gene contains an open reading frame capable of s pecifying a polypeptide of 385 amino acids, which include N- and C-ter minal hydrophobic domains consistent with signal and anchor regions, r espectively, and two potential N-linked glycosylation sites, one of wh ich was located in a highly conserved region when compared to MDV sero type 1 (MDV1) and herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT). By northern blot analy sis using a MDV2 gD-specific DNA probe, two highly abundant polycistro nic 6.0 and 4.2 kb transcripts were detected in MDV2-infected cells. T he genes encoding MDV2 protein kinase (PK), go, and glycoprotein I (gI ) homologues are transcribed to form 3' coterminal mRNAs of 6.0 kb (en coding PK, gD and gI) and 4.2 kb (encoding gD and gI), respectively. B y using rapid amplification cDNA end (RACE) method, several RNA start sites, to be thought those of the 4.2 kb mRNA, were detected in the up stream of MDV2 gD homologue.