COMPARATIVE-ANALYSIS OF THE CONSERVED REGION OF THE ORTHOPOXVIRUS GENOME ENCODING THE 36K-PROTEIN AND 12K-PROTEIN

Genes encoding vims-specific proteins with molecular masses of 36 kDa and 12 kDa were mapped in HindIII-P and HindIII-U DNA fragments of vac cinia strain LIVP and ectromelia strain K-1 viruses, respectively, by hybrid selection of RNA to cloned DNA fragments followed by in vitro t ranslation. The 36K translation initiation codon was detected in the H indIII-J fragment. The nucleotide sequences of corresponding genes fro m vaccinia, ectromelia, cowpox and variola virus genomes were determin ed. The 12K protein has similarity to mammalian glutaredoxins. The der ived amino acid sequence of the 36K polypeptide was compared with the protein bank PIR. No homology was found between the 36K protein and kn own structures of proteins. The 36K protein genes of vaccinia and ectr omelia viruses were cloned in pUR290, which led to the production of E . coli chimeric proteins, consisting of the sequence of beta-galactosi dase and the viral protein on their C-ends. The chimeric proteins were shown to possess viral antigenic specificity. To identify the protein product of the 36K gene monospecific antisera to chimeric proteins we re obtained. The late 36K protein is associated with virosomes but is not incorporated into the virions of orthopoxviruses.