GENETIC-ANALYSIS OF THE G-GENE AND P-GENE IN UNGULATE RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUSES BY RNASE-A MISMATCH CLEAVAGE METHOD

The G and P genes of bovine, ovine and caprine respiratory syncytial ( RS) viruses were analyzed by RNase A one-dimensional fingerprinting, u sing A51908 as the reference strain. Antisense G or P RNA probes of bo vine RS virus strain A 51908 were hybridized to total RNA extracted fr om bovine turbinate cells infected with bovine, ovine or caprine RS vi rus strains. The RNA:RNA heteroduplexes were digested with RNase A and the resistant products were analyzed by gel electrophoresis. Comparat ive analysis of the cleavage patterns revealed heterogeneity among bov ine, ovine and caprine RS virus isolates. Ovine RS virus strains gener ated RNA cleavage patterns more distantly related to the bovine or cap rine RS virus strains, particularly in the G gene. Statistical analysi s of the results obtained indicated that genetic differences between b ovine and ovine viruses were larger, compared with the ones among bovi ne strains themselves. The same analysis also revealed a close genetic relation among bovine and caprine strains. These results are discusse d in terms of ungulate RS virus genetic variation and vaccine developm ent. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.