Identification by a random sequencing strategy of the fowlpoxvirus DNA polymerase gene, its nucleotide sequence and comparison with other viral DNA polymerases

The nucleotide sequence of the DNA polymerase gene of the avipoxvirus fowlpox is presented and the predicted amino acid sequence compared with that of the orthopoxvirus vaccinia. The results have brought to light an error in the vaccinia sequence which has resulted in the ommission of 44 amino acids from the carboxy-terminus of the vaccinia DNA polymerase. There has been extensive conservation of amino acids throughout the enzymes, and regions identified as being present in DNA polymerases from a wide range of viruses are again present here. The method used to identify the fowlpoxvirus gene could have applications towards defining genomic organisations in other viral systems.