CLONING AND ANALYSIS OF THE EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS GLYCOPROTEIN 350 GENES

Membrane glycoprotein 350 (gp350) of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is c onsidered as a major target for vaccine development, since the gp350 h as been identified as the virus' mediator for receptor interaction and as an inducer of specific irt vitro virus-neutralizing antibodies. In an initial attempt to develop an effective DNA vaccine against an EBV infection, gp350 genes were isolated from SNU-20 and SNU-1103 which a re the EBV-infected lymphoblastoid cell lines established in Korea. In addition, the nucleotide sequences of the gp350 genes were determined and compared with those of other EBV strains such as B95-8, P3HR-1/AG 876 and M81, Sequence analysis showed that similar high degrees of hom ology between 2 EBV strains derived from African Burkitt's lymphoma, P 3HR-1 and AG876, was shown between the gp350 genes isolated from 2 EBV -infected lymphoblastoid cell lines established in Korea. Furthermore, these 2 Korean and 2 African strains displayed nearly identical patte rns of sequence variations from B95-8, In addition, the sequence of th e isolated gp350 genes, which have been reported to be associated with the biology of EBV infection, is analyzed.