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Viral molecular epidemiology has traditionally analyzed variation in single genes. Whole genome phylogenetic analysis of 123 concatenated genes from 11 ASFV genomes, including E75, a newly sequenced virulent isolate from Spain, identified two clusters. One contained South African isolates from ticks and warthog, suggesting derivation from a sylvatic transmission cycle. The second contained isolates from West Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. Two isolates, from Kenya and Malawi, were outliers. Of the nine genomes within the clusters, seven were within p72 genotype 1. The 11 genomes sequenced comprised only 5 of the 22 p72 genotypes. Comparison of synonymous and non-synonymous mutations at the genome level identified 20 genes subject to selection pressure for diversification. A novel gene of the E75 virus evolved by the fusion of two genes within the 360 multicopy family. Comparative genomics reveals high diversity within a limited sample of the ASFV viral gene pool., (Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Studies indicate that West African and Congo basin isolates of monkeypox virus (MPXV) are genetically distinct. Here, we show Congo basin MPXV-ZAI-V79 is more virulent for cynomolgus monkeys as compared to presumed West African MPXV-COP-58. This finding may explain the lack of case-fatalities in the U.S. 2003 monkeypox outbreak, which was caused by a West African virus. Virulence differences between West African and Congo basin MPXV are further supported by epidemiological analyses that observed a similar prevalence of antibodies in non-vaccinated humans in both regions, while >90% of reported cases occurred in the Congo basin, and no fatal cases were observed outside of this region. To determine the basis for this difference in virulence, we sequenced the genomes of one human West African isolate, and two presumed West African isolates and compared the sequences to Congo basin MPXV-ZAI-96-I-16. The analysis identified D10L, D14L, B10R, B14R, and B19R as possible virulence genes, with D14L (ortholog of vaccinia complement protein) as a leading candidate.

Ectromelia virus is the causative agent of mousepox, an acute exanthematous disease of mouse colonies in Europe, Japan, China, and the U.S. The Moscow, Hampstead, and NIH79 strains are the most thoroughly studied with the Moscow strain being the most infectious and virulent for the mouse. In the late 1940s mousepox was proposed as a model for the study of the pathogenesis of smallpox and generalized vaccinia in humans. Studies in the last five decades from a succession of investigators have resulted in a detailed description of the virologic and pathologic disease course in genetically susceptible and resistant inbred and out-bred mice. We report the DNA sequence of the left-hand end, the predicted right-hand terminal repeat, and central regions of the genome of the Moscow strain of ectromelia virus (approximately 177,500 bp), which together with the previously sequenced right-hand end, yields a genome of 209,771 bp. We identified 175 potential genes specifying proteins of between 53 and 1924 amino acids, and 29 regions containing sequences related to genes predicted in other poxviruses, but unlikely to encode for functional proteins in ectromelia virus. The translated protein sequences were compared with the protein database for structure/function relationships, and these analyses were used to investigate poxvirus evolution and to attempt to explain at the cellular and molecular level the well-characterized features of the ectromelia virus natural life cycle.

Shope fibroma virus (SFV) N1R gene encodes a RING finger protein that localizes to virus factories within the cytoplasm of infected cells. Altered proteins, with deletions and site-specific mutations, were transiently expressed in vaccinia virus-infected cells to discern regions of the protein that are required for localization. We have determined that at least part of the RING finger region is necessary for localization but that the RING motif alone is not sufficient. A chimeric protein, however, in which the RING finger region of the herpes simplex virus-1 ICP0 protein replaces the SFV N1R RING motif does localize to virus factories. A region of five highly conserved amino acids at the amino terminus of SFV N1R is also critical for localization. We report that the SFV N1R protein binds double- and single-stranded DNA, suggesting a mechanism for localization, and that overexpression of this protein in vaccinia virus-infected cells reduces apoptosis-associated fragmentation of nuclear DNA., (Copyright 1998 Academic Press.)

Sequence analysis of the genomes of the Leporipoxviruses myxoma virus and Shope fibroma virus (SFV) led to the discovery of open reading frames homologous to the vaccinia H1L gene encoding a soluble protein phosphatase with dual tyrosine/serine specificity. These viral phosphatase genes were subsequently localized to the myxoma BamHI-I fragment and the SFV BamHI-M fragment, and the resulting encoded proteins were designated I1L and M1L, respectively. The localization and orientation of the myxoma I1L and SFV M1L open reading frames within the well conserved central core of the viral genomes closely mirror that of the Orthopoxviruses vaccinia virus and variola virus. The myxoma I1L and SFV M1L phosphatases each contain the conserved tyrosine phosphatase signature sequence motif, (I/V)HCXAGXXR(S/T)G, including the active site cysteine, found previously to be essential for phosphotyrosine dephosphorylation. The vaccinia H1L phosphatase was originally shown to have the ability to dephosphorylate phosphotyrosyl and phosphoseryl residues in vitro. To assess whether this is a common feature of poxvirus phosphatases, myxoma I1L was expressed as a GST-fusion protein, purified, and shown to dephosphorylate substrates containing tyrosine and serine phosphorylated residues, in a similar fashion to vaccinia H1L. A myxoma I1L variant, in which the active site cysteine 110 was mutated to serine, was expressed in a parallel fashion to the wild-type I1L protein and found to be completely deficient in its ability to dephosphorylate both phosphotyrosine and phosphoserine amino acids. In an attempt to ascertain the biological requirement for the myxoma I1L phosphatase, we constructed a recombinant myxoma virus containing a disrupted I1L open reading frame. This I1L mutant virus was able to successfully propagate in tissue culture only in the presence of a wild-type complementing gene, and pure virus clones containing only the disrupted allele were not viable. Thus, we conclude that the myxoma I1L dual specificity phosphatase is an essential factor for virus viability.

Myxoma virus is a leporipoxvirus that causes a rapidly lethal, generalized infection known as myxomatosis in the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). A characteristic feature of myxomatosis is the specific downregulation of key pathways important for numerous host defenses against the viral infection. The SERP1 gene has significant sequence similarity to the serpin superfamily of serine proteinase inhibitors and is one of many virulence factor genes located within the terminal regions of the myxoma virus genome. Transcriptional analysis of the SERP1 gene in myxoma virus (strain Lausanne) indicates that it is expressed as a late gene and studies using a polyclonal anti-SERP1 antiserum indicate that it encodes a secreted protein with an apparent molecular weight of 55 kDa. Using myxoma virus and recombinant vaccinia virus constructs for experiments with tunicamycin and peptide N-glycosidase F, it is shown that the secreted SERP1 protein is modified by N-linked glycosylation. Mutation of both copies of the SERP1 gene in myxoma virus results in a significant attenuation of the virus, such that more than 50% of infected animals are able to recover from the otherwise lethal infection. Histological analyses of lesions taken from infected animals suggest that in the absence of the SERP1 protein, a more effective inflammatory response occurs, allowing a more rapid resolution of the infection. This suggests that SERP1 contributes to viral pathogenesis by interacting with cellular component(s) involved in the regulation of inflammation.

Myxoma virus (MYX) induces extensive immunosuppression in infected rabbits and is associated with high levels of mortality. The virus encodes multiple gene products designed to circumvent the cellular immune response to the viral infection. Deletion analysis has shown that the M11L open reading frame (ORF) is an important virulence factor which downregulates leukocyte infiltration of MYX-induced tumors. To investigate the role of the M11L protein in viral pathogenesis, we sequenced the MYX M11L ORF and showed that the sequence has motifs consistent with a 166-aa class III membrane-spanning molecule possessing a single transmembrane helix near the C-terminus and a 142-aa N-terminal extracellular domain that has six cysteine residues plus two consensus N-glycosylation sites. Transcription analysis indicates that M11L is expressed as an early gene, and surface immunofluorescence studies with anti-M11L antibodies reveal that M11L protein is transported to the infected cell surface. Immunoprecipitation analysis of an attenuated viral recombinant, vMYX-GF-delta M11L, indicates that an M11L variant protein with an altered C-terminus is synthesized at about 45% of wild type levels; however, it is not detectable on the cell surface, suggesting that proper M11L function requires localization at the infected cell membrane. We propose that M11L is a virulence factor whose function is to recognize an extracellular ligand essential for the cellular inflammatory response.

The role of the epidermal growth factor homologue in malignant rabbit fibroma virus (MRV) pathogenicity was investigated by constructing a viral growth factor deletion mutant (MRV-GF-). Since MRV is a recombinant virus with a myxoma virus background but possesses some terminal sequences derived from Shope fibroma virus, the growth factor gene in MRV is in fact identical to Shope fibroma growth factor (SFGF). Although no significant differences were detected in the in vitro characteristics of MRV and MRV-GF-, a pronounced attenuation was observed after inoculation of the test rabbits with MRV-GF-. Animals infected with wild-type MRV uniformly developed a fatal syndrome involving disseminated tumors accompanied by purulent conjunctivitis and rhinitis. In contrast, although MRV-GF- recipients developed similar initial signs of the MRV disease syndrome, 75% of these animals completely recovered from the viral and secondary bacterial infections and became immune to subsequent MRV challenge. Tumors in MRV-GF- recipients displayed earlier and more prominent inflammatory reactions than their wild-type MRV counterparts and contained fewer proliferating cells. Squamous metaplasia and hyperplasia of target epithelia were less pronounced in MRV-GF- than in MRV infection. We conclude that SFGF is a major virulence factor in MRV infection and is responsible for at least some of the cellular proliferation observed at tumor sites. In addition, the diminished ability of MRV-GF- to cause hyperplasia in nasal and conjunctival epithelia may decrease the extent of gram negative bacterial overgrowth as compared to the parental virus and hence contribute to the dramatic reduction in the lethality of MRV-GF- infection.