CAPSID PROTEIN GENE SEQUENCE OF FELINE CALICIVIRUS ISOLATES-255 AND LLK - FURTHER EVIDENCE FOR CAPSID PROTEIN CONFIGURATION AMONG FELINE CALICIVIRUSES

The capsid protein gene sequences are reported for two feline calicivi rus (FCV) isolates, one a highly virulent isolate associated with resp iratory disease, designated 255, and an isolate associated with neurom uscular disorders, designated LLK. Both capsid protein sequences confo rm to a previously described hypothesis wherein FCV capsid proteins ma y be divided into six regions based on sequence similarity among isola tes. Region A corresponds to the amino-terminal area of the protein th at is theoretically cleaved to produce the functional species. With a large area of sequence identity among isolates, region B contains a po tential myristilated glycine and a putative ATP/GTP binding site. Regi on C is a short hypervariable sequence of unknown function followed by another conserved area designated region D. The E region is an area o f extensive amino acid sequence hypervariability that presumably conta ins the antigenic determinants of the capsid protein. Region F contain s the highly conserved carboxy-terminal portion of the protein.