Biomaterial Database

Extensive homology exists between Marek disease herpesvirus and its vaccine virus, herpesvirus of turkeys. 1984

C P Gibbs, and K Nazerian, and L F Velicer, and H J Kung

Marek disease is a lymphomatous disease of chickens caused by infection of a herpesvirus, Marek disease virus (MDV). Marek disease is the only neoplastic disease for which a successful vaccine has been developed. The vaccine virus, herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT), is non-oncogenic in chickens. Despite the strong antigenic relationship between these viruses, previous studies showed that the two viral DNAs share little or no homology. Using less stringent hybridization conditions and methods that greatly improve the reassociation kinetics, we have reexamined the sequence homology between MDV and HVT DNA. We report here that HVT and MDV are far more closely related than previously reported. The homology between these two viral DNAs ranges between 70% and 80% at the nucleotide level and appears to extend over 90-95% of the respective genomes. Under the low stringency conditions used, MDV DNA fails to cross-hybridize with DNA from feline rhinotracheitis virus, an antigenically unrelated herpesvirus with a G-C content identical to that of MDV and HVT.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008381	Herpesvirus 2, Gallid	The type species of the genus MARDIVIRUS in the family HERPESVIRIDAE. It is the etiologic agent of MAREK DISEASE, infecting domestic fowl and wild birds.	Fowl Paralysis Virus,Marek's Disease Herpesvirus 1,Marek's Disease Virus Serotype 1,Neurolymphomatosis Virus,Gallid Herpesvirus 2,Herpesvirus 2 (gamma), Gallid,Marek Disease Herpesvirus 1,Fowl Paralysis Viruses,Neurolymphomatosis Viruses,Paralysis Virus, Fowl,Paralysis Viruses, Fowl
D009693	Nucleic Acid Hybridization	Widely used technique which exploits the ability of complementary sequences in single-stranded DNAs or RNAs to pair with each other to form a double helix. Hybridization can take place between two complimentary DNA sequences, between a single-stranded DNA and a complementary RNA, or between two RNA sequences. The technique is used to detect and isolate specific sequences, measure homology, or define other characteristics of one or both strands. (Kendrew, Encyclopedia of Molecular Biology, 1994, p503)	Genomic Hybridization,Acid Hybridization, Nucleic,Acid Hybridizations, Nucleic,Genomic Hybridizations,Hybridization, Genomic,Hybridization, Nucleic Acid,Hybridizations, Genomic,Hybridizations, Nucleic Acid,Nucleic Acid Hybridizations
D004279	DNA, Viral	Deoxyribonucleic acid that makes up the genetic material of viruses.	Viral DNA
D005075	Biological Evolution	The process of cumulative change over successive generations through which organisms acquire their distinguishing morphological and physiological characteristics.	Evolution, Biological
D006564	Herpesviridae	A family of enveloped, linear, double-stranded DNA viruses infecting a wide variety of animals. Subfamilies, based on biological characteristics, include: ALPHAHERPESVIRINAE; BETAHERPESVIRINAE; and GAMMAHERPESVIRINAE.	Mouse Thymic Virus,Murid herpesvirus 3,Thymic Group Viruses,Herpesviruses,Mouse Thymic Viruses,Thymic Virus, Mouse,Thymic Viruses, Mouse
D001483	Base Sequence	The sequence of PURINES and PYRIMIDINES in nucleic acids and polynucleotides. It is also called nucleotide sequence.	DNA Sequence,Nucleotide Sequence,RNA Sequence,DNA Sequences,Base Sequences,Nucleotide Sequences,RNA Sequences,Sequence, Base,Sequence, DNA,Sequence, Nucleotide,Sequence, RNA,Sequences, Base,Sequences, DNA,Sequences, Nucleotide,Sequences, RNA