HETEROGENEITY WITHIN THE EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS NUCLEAR ANTIGEN-2 GENE INDIFFERENT STRAINS OF EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS

DNA isolated from biopsies of endemic Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) from New Guinea was analysed for the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) sequ ences using the polymerase chain reaction. Primers were designed to am plify sequences within the Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen (EBNA) 1 and 2 genes. These analyses detected the EBNA1 sequence in all the bi opsies studied. Additional sets of primers directed against the EBNA2. gene were used in order to categorize the EBV strains as A-type or B- type (39 % A-type; 50 % B-type; 5 % A and B-type; 5 % untypeable). The se results indicated that DNA sequence heterogeneity within the EBNA2 gene region may exist in different strains of EBV. The extent of DNA s equence heterogeneity among different strains of EBV was determined by sequencing of a region within the EBNA2 gene in a number of different A-type and B-type strains of EBV originating from Africa or New Guine a. The results demonstrated DNA sequence heterogeneity within the EBNA 2 gene in different strains of EBV. This heterogeneity was more extens ive among A-type strains than B-type strains of EBV.