MOLECULAR EVOLUTION OF INFECTIOUS LARYNGOTRACHEITIS VIRUS (ILTV, GALLID-HERPESVIRUS-1) - AN ANCIENT EXAMPLE OF THE ALPHAHERPESVIRIDAE

An analysis of two essential genes of infectious laryngotracheitis vir us (ILTV), glycoprotein D (gD) and the immediate early gene, herpes si mplex virus homologue ICP27, was performed with the equivalent gene ho mologues from several alphaherpesviruses. Amino acid (aa) sequence ana lysis revealed that these ILTV genes shared limited homology to other alphaherpesvirus equivalents and were distinct from the two other avia n herpesviruses, Marek's disease virus (MDV) and herpesvirus of turkey s (HVT). Simplex and varicella group viruses are clearly separate from the avian group. The amino acid sequences of these ILTV genes will be presented with comparisions to the homologues from other alphaherpesv iruses, contributing further evidence of the evolution of this group o f viruses from a common progenitor and that ILTV could be an ancient e xample of the Alphaherpesvirinae.