Generation and characterization of koi herpesvirus recombinants lacking viral enzymes of nucleotide metabolism.

Abstract

Koi herpesvirus (KHV) causes a fatal disease in koi and common carp, but no reliable and genetically characterized vaccines are available up to now. Therefore, we generated KHV recombinants possessing deletions within the viral ribonucleotide reductase (RNR), thymidine kinase (TK), dUTPase, or TK and dUTPase genes, and their corresponding rescuants. All KHV mutants were replication competent in cultured cells. Whereas plaque sizes and titers of RNR-negative KHV were reduced, replication of the other mutants was not affected. Experimental infection of carp indicated attenuation of TK- or dUTPase-deleted KHV, and PCR analysis of tissue samples permitted differentiation of mutant from wild-type virus.

• Authors: Walter Fuchs, Dieter Fichtner, Sven M Bergmann, Thomas C Mettenleiter
• Journal: Archives of virology (Arch Virol) Vol. 156 Issue 6 Pg. 1059-63 (Jun 2011) ISSN: 1432-8798 [Electronic] Austria
• PMID: 21387205 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• DNA, Viral
• Viral Vaccines
• Ribonucleotide Reductases
• Thymidine Kinase
• Pyrophosphatases
• dUTP pyrophosphatase

Topics

• Animals
• Carps (virology)
• Cell Line
• DNA, Viral (genetics)
• Fish Diseases (virology)
• Herpesviridae (enzymology, genetics, immunology, physiology)
• Herpesviridae Infections (veterinary, virology)
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Pyrophosphatases (genetics, metabolism)
• Ribonucleotide Reductases (genetics, metabolism)
• Sequence Deletion
• Temperature
• Thymidine Kinase (genetics, metabolism)
• Viral Vaccines
• Virus Replication