MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF THE SEGMENT-2 GENE OF EPIZOOTIC HEMORRHAGIC-DISEASE VIRUS SEROTYPE-2 - GENE SEQUENCE AND GENETIC DIVERSITY

The complete nucleotide sequence of the gene encoding the major outer capsid protein VP2 from the Alberta isolate of epizootic hemorrhagic d isease virus serotype 2 (EHDV-2) was determined. Complementary DNA (cD NA) corresponding to segment 2 was 3002 nucleotides in length with a s ingle open reading frame that encoded a VP2 of 982 amino acids. Althou gh the VP2 from EHDV-2 was only 34% homologous to the cognate protein from EHDV-1, their predicted hydropathic profiles were similar, sugges ting that conservation of structure is important biologically to these capsid proteins. Sequence analysis of six North American EHDV-2 field isolates showed a high degree of comparative genetic identity (>97%), Phylogenetic profiles constructed suggest that regionalization of the viruses within the North American continent has contributed to the ge netic diversity. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.