EXPRESSION OF THE MAJOR CORE STRUCTURAL PROTEINS VP3 AND VP7 OF AFRICAN HORSE SICKNESS VIRUS, AND PRODUCTION OF CORE-LIKE PARTICLES

The genome segments encoding the seven structural proteins of African horse sickness virus (AHSV), including the largest coding for VP1, wer e cloned and sequenced. Analysis of the VP1 sequence supports the puta tive, identity of this protein as an RNA polymerase. The genes encodin g the two major core proteins, VP3 and VP7, were also cloned and expre ssed by both in vitro translation and by means of recombinant baculovi ruses. Go-infection of insect cells with VP3 and VP7 recombinant bacul oviruses resulted in the intracellular formation of multimeric particl es with a diameter of 72 nm, which structurally resembled authentic AH SV cores (core like particles: CLP). The complete genome of AHSV has n ow been cloned and sequenced.