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Title: NEWCASTLE DISEASE VIRUS PHOSPHOPROTEIN GENE ANALYSIS AND EXPRESSION IN AVIAN CELLS

Author
item LOCKE, DEVIN - UNIV HOSPITALS-CLEVELAND
item CRAWFORD,, JOHN - DUKE UNIV MED CTR- N.C.
item Sellers, Holly
item Schultz Cherry, Stacey
item King, Daniel
item Meinersmann, Richard - Rick
item Seal, Bruce

Submitted to: Virus Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/5/2000
Publication Date: 9/1/2000
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Genetic information for the phosphoprotein gene from twenty-three Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolates representing all defined pathotypes with different chronological and geographic origins was examined. This protein is important for viral replication and hence may be important in the ability of NDV to cause disease. The ability to produce more than one protein from this gene was confirmed and the mechanism by which this occur resembles measles-type viruses. As a result of these and other studies NDV should be placed in its own category as an avian paramyxovirus separate from its mammalian counterparts. The existence of two major NDV types was confirmed. One group consisted of viruses isolated from the U.S. no longer detected in poultry. A second group was composed of virulent viruses found in the U.S. and worldwide that emerged during the early 1970's.

Technical Abstract: Nucleotide sequence was determined for the phosphoprotein (P) gene from twenty-three Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolates representing all defined pathotypes with different chronological and geographic origins. Sequence variation, with synonymous substitutions dominating, occurred throughout the P gene. An exception was a highly conserved central region containing the transcriptional editing site. Four G nucleotide additions were detected in NDV P gene mRNA potentially creating open reading frames. However, only one in-frame stop codon exists among all isolates that would allow for a potential V protein. A second potential stop codon does not exist in the P gene consensus sequence among all isolates with more than one G nucleotide addition at the editing site. This precludes a possible W protein. A second potential alternative start site exists among all isolates that could encode a predicted C protein for NDV. Comparison of predicted P gene usage demonstrates that NDV more closely resembles the morbilliviruses and not its currently designated rubulavirus family members. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrates there are two clades of these viruses. One group includes viruses isolated in the U.S., while a second cluster includes viruses originally considered exotic to the U.S. The second group includes virulent viruses circulating worldwide whose population expanded exponentially, during the 1970's.