This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tulman, E. R. Articles by Rock, D. L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tulman, E. R. Articles by Rock, D. L.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Virology, September 2006, p. 9244-9258, Vol. 80, No. 18
0022-538X/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JVI.00945-06
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Genome of Horsepox Virus

Plum Island Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Greenport, New York 11944,¹ Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary Science,² Center of Excellence for Vaccine Research, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269,³ Area of Virology, School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina,⁴ Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61802,⁵ Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Athens, Georgia 30605,⁶ Scientific Research Agricultural Institute Zhambylskaya Oblast, Kordaiskiy Rayon, Gvardeiskiy 485444, Republic of Kazakhstan⁷

Received 9 May 2006/ Accepted 30 June 2006

Here we present the genomic sequence of horsepox virus (HSPV) isolate MNR-76, an orthopoxvirus (OPV) isolated in 1976 from diseased Mongolian horses. The 212-kbp genome contained 7.5-kbp inverted terminal repeats and lacked extensive terminal tandem repetition. HSPV contained 236 open reading frames (ORFs) with similarity to those in other OPVs, with those in the central 100-kbp region most conserved relative to other OPVs. Phylogenetic analysis of the conserved region indicated that HSPV is closely related to sequenced isolates of vaccinia virus (VACV) and rabbitpox virus, clearly grouping together these VACV-like viruses. Fifty-four HSPV ORFs likely represented fragments of 25 orthologous OPV genes, including in the central region the only known fragmented form of an OPV ribonucleotide reductase large subunit gene. In terminal genomic regions, HSPV lacked full-length homologues of genes variably fragmented in other VACV-like viruses but was unique in fragmentation of the homologue of VACV strain Copenhagen B6R, a gene intact in other known VACV-like viruses. Notably, HSPV contained in terminal genomic regions 17 kbp of OPV-like sequence absent in known VACV-like viruses, including fragments of genes intact in other OPVs and approximately 1.4 kb of sequence present only in cowpox virus (CPXV). HSPV also contained seven full-length genes fragmented or missing in other VACV-like viruses, including intact homologues of the CPXV strain GRI-90 D2L/I4R CrmB and D13L CD30-like tumor necrosis factor receptors, D3L/I3R and C1L ankyrin repeat proteins, B19R kelch-like protein, D7L BTB/POZ domain protein, and B22R variola virus B22R-like protein. These results indicated that HSPV contains unique genomic features likely contributing to a unique virulence/host range phenotype. They also indicated that while closely related to known VACV-like viruses, HSPV contains additional, potentially ancestral sequences absent in other VACV-like viruses.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Sood, C. L., Ward, J. M., Moss, B. (2008). Vaccinia Virus Encodes I5, a Small Hydrophobic Virion Membrane Protein That Enhances Replication and Virulence in Mice. J. Virol. 82: 10071-10078 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Garcel, A., Crance, J.-M., Drillien, R., Garin, D., Favier, A.-L. (2007). Genomic sequence of a clonal isolate of the vaccinia virus Lister strain employed for smallpox vaccination in France and its comparison to other orthopoxviruses. J. Gen. Virol. 88: 1906-1916 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Gubser, C., Goodbody, R., Ecker, A., Brady, G., O'Neill, L. A. J., Jacobs, N., Smith, G. L. (2007). Camelpox virus encodes a schlafen-like protein that affects orthopoxvirus virulence. J. Gen. Virol. 88: 1667-1676 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Dasgupta, A., Hammarlund, E., Slifka, M. K., Fruh, K. (2007). Cowpox Virus Evades CTL Recognition and Inhibits the Intracellular Transport of MHC Class I Molecules. J. Immunol. 178: 1654-1661 [Abstract] [Full Text]