Sequence analysis of the matrix nucleocapsid gene region of turkey coronavirus

A reverse transcriptase, polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) procedure was u sed to amplify a segment of the genome of turkey coronavirus (TCV) spanning portions of the matrix and nucleocapsid (MN) protein genes (approximately 1.1 kb), The MN gene region of three epidemiologically distinct TCV strains (Minnesota, NC95, Indiana) was amplified, cloned into pUC19, and sequenced , TCV MN gene sequences were compared with published sequences of other avi an and mammalian coronaviruses. A high degree of similarity (>90%) was obse rved between the nucleotide, matrix protein, and nucleocapsid protein seque nces of TCV strains and published sequences of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), The matrix and nucleocapsid protein sequences of TCV had limited hom ology (<30%) with MN sequences of mammalian coronaviruses. These results de monstrate a close genetic relationship between the avian coronaviruses, IBV and TCV.