J Vet Sci.  2016 Dec;17(4):497-503. 10.4142/jvs.2016.17.4.497.

Genomic diversity of the Avian leukosis virus subgroup J gp85 gene in different organs of an infected chicken

• Meng F
• Li X
• Fang J
• Gao Y
• Zhu L
• Xing G
• Tian F
• Gao Y
• Dong X
• Chang S
• Zhao P
• Cui Z
• Liu Z

• KMID: 2412605
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2016.17.4.497

Abstract

The genomic diversity of Avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) was investigated in an experimentally infected chicken. ALV-J variants in tissues from four different organs of the same bird were re-isolated in DF-1 cells, and their gp85 gene was amplified and cloned. Ten clones from each organ were sequenced and compared with the original inoculum strain, NX0101. The minimum homology of each organ ranged from 96.7 to 97.6%, and the lowest homology between organs was only 94.9%, which was much lower than the 99.1% homology of inoculum NX0101, indicating high diversity of ALV-J, even within the same bird. The gp85 mutations from the left kidney, which contained tumors, and the right kidney, which was tumor-free, had higher non-synonymous to synonymous mutation ratios than those in the tumor-bearing liver and lungs. Additionally, the mutational sites of gp85 gene in the kidney were similar, and they differed from those in the liver and lung, implying that organ- or tissue-specific selective pressure had a greater influence on the evolution of ALV-J diversity. These results suggest that more ALV-J clones from different organs and tissues should be sequenced and compared to better understand viral evolution and molecular epidemiology in the field.

Keyword

Avian leukosis virus subgroup J; genomic diversity; glycoprotein 85; mutation

MeSH Terms

Animals
Avian Leukosis/*virology
Avian Leukosis Virus/*genetics
*Chickens
*Genetic Variation
Poultry Diseases/*virology
Sequence Analysis, DNA/veterinary
Viral Proteins/*genetics/metabolism
Viral Proteins

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Gross and histopathology lesions of different organs in the dead chicken with infection of NX0101. (A) Gross lesions of the liver. (B) Gross lesions of the lung. (C) Gross lesions of the left kidney (left) and the normal right kidney (right). (D-F) Histopathological lesions in sections of the liver, lung, and left kidney, respectively. 100× (D-F).

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  Fig. 2 IFA results of DF1 cells inoculated with filtrated extraction from the liver (A), right kidney (B), lung (C), left kidney (D), NX 0101 strain ALV-J stock (E), and negative control (F). 100× (A-F).

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