TitleAnalysis of the genome of leporid herpesvirus 4.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2012
AuthorsBabra, B, Watson, G, Xu, W, Jeffrey, BM, Xu, J-R, Rockey, DD, Rohrmann, GF, Jin, L
JournalVirology
Volume433
Issue1
Pagination183-91
Date Published2012 Nov 10
KeywordsViral Proteins
Abstract

The genome of a herpesvirus highly pathogenic to rabbits, leporid herpesvirus 4 (LHV-4), was analyzed using high-throughput DNA sequencing technology and primer walking. The assembled DNA sequences were further verified by restriction endonuclease digestion and Southern blot analyses. The total length of the LHV-4 genome was determined to be about 124 kb. Genes encoded in the LHV-4 genome are most closely related to herpesvirus of the Simplexvirus genus, including human herpesviruses (HHV-1 and HHV-2), monkey herpesviruses including cercopithicine (CeHV-2 and CeHV-16), macacine (McHV-1), bovine herpesvirus 2 (BHV-2), and a lineage of wallaby (macropodid) herpesviruses (MaHV-1 and -2). Similar to other simplexvirus genomes, LHV-4 has a high overall G+C content of 65-70% in the unique regions and 75-77% in the inverted repeat regions. Orthologs of ICP34.5 and US5 were not identified in the LHV-4 genome. This study shows that LHV-4 has the smallest simplexvirus genome characterized to date.
DOI10.1016/j.virol.2012.08.002