Pathogenicity and molecular analysis of an infectious bursal disease virus isolated from Malaysian village chickens

The characteristics of the pathogenic infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) that infected avian species other than commercial chickens were largely unknown. In this study, by using in vivo and molecular methods, we had characterized an IBDV isolate (named 94268) isolated from an infectious bursal disease (IBD) outbreak in Malaysian village chickens--the adulterated descendant of the Southeast Asian jungle fowl (Gallus bankiva) that were commonly reared in the backyard. The 94268 isolate was grouped as the very virulent IBDV (vvIBDV) strain because it caused severe lesions and a high mortality rate in village chickens (>88%) and experimentally infected specific-pathogen-free chickens (>66%). In addition, it possessed all of the vvIBDV molecular markers in its VP2 gene. Phylogenetic analysis using distance, maximum parsimony, and maximum likelihood methods revealed that 94268 was monophyletic with other vvIBDV isolates and closely related to the Malaysian vvIBDV isolates. Given that the VP2 gene of 94268 isolate was almost identical and evolutionarily closely related to other field IBDV isolates that affected the commercial chickens, we therefore concluded that IBD infections had spread across the farm boundary. IBD infection in the village chicken may represent an important part of the IBD epidemiology because these birds could harbor the vvIBDV strain and should not be overlooked in the control and prevention of the disease.     

Prokaryotic Expression and Bioinformatics Analysis of VP2 Gene of Infectious Bursal Disease Virus C4 Strain

This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between the virulence characteristics of infectious bursal disease virus(IBDV) C4 strain and its VP2 amino acid sequence. The RNA of IBDV C4 strain was extracted,and its VP2 gene was amplified by RT-PCR.VP2 nucleotide sequences and deduced amino acids of different virulent IBDV strains were compared. At the same time, prokaryotic expression vector pET-32a(+) was used to express the VP2 gene. The expression of recombinant VP2 protein was detected by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. The results showed that the VP2 gene of IBDV C4 strain belonged to the very virulent infectious bursal disease virus (vvIBDV) in evolutionary relationship, the VP2 nucleotides homology between IBDV C4 strain and other vvIBDV strains were 98.1% to 98.7%, and there were no mutations in S-W-S-A-S-G-S (326-332 amino acids) and 222(A), 256(I), 294(I) and 299(S). The VP2 amino acid sequence of IBDV C4 strain was consistent with the characteristics of other vvIBDV strains. However, there were three differences amino acids sites at 201(D/G), 281(G/R) and 313(V/A) between the amino acids of the C4 strain and the very virulent strain UK661. And the change of 281(R) was in the small hydrophilic region of 279 to 290, which was related to the antigenicity of the virus; The recombinant VP2 protein molecular weight expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 was about 67 ku. This study provided a basis for further research on antigenic changes resulting from amino acid variation of 201(G), 281 (R) and 313(A). These results indicated that the VP2 gene of the IBDV C4 strain was consistent with the major characteristics of the vvIBDV strain VP2 gene. The difference of three amino acid sites in the vvIBDV strain C4 might be related to the evolution of virulence of IBDV strain in China.     

传染性法氏囊病病毒C4毒株VP2基因的原核表达及生物信息学分析

试验旨在研究一株传染性法氏囊病病毒（IBDV）河南分离株的毒力特征及其与VP2氨基酸序列特征的关系。通过提取IBDV C4株RNA,利用RT-PCR扩增其VP2基因,与其他不同毒力IBDV毒株进行核苷酸及推导的氨基酸序列比对分析,同时使用pET-32a（+）原核表达载体表达VP2基因,用SDS-PAGE和Western blotting检测重组VP2蛋白的表达。结果显示,扩增的IBDV C4株的VP2基因序列在进化关系上属于超强毒力IBDV（vvIBDV）分类,与选取的vvIBDV毒株代表毒株核苷酸序列同源性在98.1%~98.7%之间,其七肽区为S-W-S-A-S-G-S（第326-332位氨基酸）符合超强毒株特征,且222（A）、256（I）、294（I）和299（S）位氨基酸与超强毒力毒株的4个特征性氨基酸一致;但IBDV C4毒株的VP2蛋白氨基酸序列与超强毒力毒株代表毒株UK661相比,201（D/G）、281（G/R）、313（V/A）位氨基酸不同,其中281位氨基酸的改变处于279-290的小亲水区内,与病毒抗原性有关;构建的pET-32a（+）-VP2原核表达载体在大肠杆菌BL21感受态细胞上表达出分子质量约67 ku的重组VP2蛋白,为进一步比较201（G）、281（R）、313（A）位氨基酸差异导致的抗原特性改变提供了研究基础。本试验结果表明,IBDV C4株VP2基因与vvIBDV毒株VP2基因的主要特性一致,但也有3处氨基酸与代表毒株UK661存在差异,这些改变可能与中国IBDV毒株毒力的进化有关。     

传染性法氏囊病病毒NN1107广西株的分离鉴定及遗传进化分析

为研究从广西南宁市某鸡场疑似患传染性法氏囊病的鸡群中分离鉴定出的一株传染性法氏囊病病毒NN1107株的分子特征,通过反转录-聚合酶链反应特异扩增后进行克隆、序列分析。NN1107株VP2基因高变区(vVP2)的克隆测序和序列比较结果显示,序列符合超强毒传染性法氏囊病病毒(vvIBDV)的分子特征;其与广西vvIBDV毒株的核苷酸同源性在96%～99.6%之间。根据vVP2核苷酸序列同源性绘制的遗传进化树结果显示,NN1107株属于vvIBDV毒株群,与2004年、2005年、2007年和2010年流行毒株BH09、NNTZ(3)、NN07122、HP1001的亲缘关系最近,与疫苗株B87(in)、Bursine-2、FW2512株的亲缘关系较远。     

三株鸡传染性法氏囊病毒弱毒株的分离与分子鉴定

本试验在江苏省鸡场分离获得3株鸡传染性法氏囊病病毒（IBDV）,采用RT—PCR法扩增VP2基因,将产物克隆入pMD18T载体,经测序,并与IBDV代表株VP2基因的高变区序列进行分析比较。结果显示,3个分离株与超强毒株、强毒株、突变株及弱毒株的核苷酸同源性在89．5％～98．9％之间,与弱毒株Cu-1和疫苗株PBG-98同源性最高,为98．9％;推导出的氨基酸序列与代表性毒株的同源性在98．2％～99．5％之间。其中,七肽区的第三个丝氨酸残基突变为精氨酸或苏氨酸,279和284位氨基酸残基突变为天冬氨酸和苏氨酸,222、294和299位氨基酸残基分别突变为脯氨酸、亮氨酸和天冬氨酸。上述试验表明3株分离株均为临床弱毒株。     

Molecular characterisation of infectious bursal disease viruses isolated in recent acute outbreaks in Slovenia

In 2004 and then in 2006 several outbreaks of infectious bursal disease (IBD) were reported in broiler and broiler breeder flocks in Slovenia. In this report ten recently emerged IBD viruses (IBDV) were characterised by sequence analysis of the VP2 hypervariable region and compared to previous Slovene IBDV strains from 1995/1996 and to some representative serotype 1 IBDV strains of different pathotypes. On the basis of nucleotide and amino acid identities, phylogenetic analyses and the presence of very virulent IBDV (vvIBDV) conserved amino acid substitutions, all Slovene isolates from recent outbreaks were identified as vvIBDV. Although some unique nucleotide exchanges and amino acid substitutions have been observed, the results of this study indicated that recent vvIBDV isolates are closely related with those from outbreaks in the 1990s. However, acute IBD has not been reported in commercial flocks in Slovenia for some years. This could lead to the conclusion that poor biosecurity and relaxed vaccination could be responsible for the re-emergence of vvIBDV.     

安徽地区IBDV超强毒株的分离鉴定和VP2基因序列分析

经鸡胚绒毛尿囊膜(CAM)接种、易感鸡接种试验、电镜观察,从安徽地区疑似病鸡的法氏囊组织分离到3株传染性法氏囊病毒。分离株人工感染4周龄鸡,致死率分别为92%、83%、67%。接种9～10SPF鸡胚测得的鸡胚半数致死量(ELD50)分别为10-6.8/0.2mL、10-5.4/0.2mL、10-4.6/0.2mL。应用Nested-PCR分别对3株分离株VP2基因高变区进行克隆测序和序列分析,结果表明:3个分离株与国内外参考超强毒株的核苷酸同源性为97.2%～99.5%,氨基酸同源性为99.3%～100%,VP2高变区核苷酸和推导的氨基酸符合传染性法氏囊病病毒超强毒株特征。     

传染性法氏囊病超强毒Gx株VP3基因在病毒致弱过程中的变异研究

利用SPF鸡胚对鸡传染性法氏囊病超强毒vvIBDV Gx株进行培育，通过鸡胚成纤维细胞对病毒进行传代致弱，对其结构蛋白VP3基因核苷酸及推导的氨基酸序列进行分析，从而揭示vvIBDV Gx从超强毒力向弱毒力转化过程中基因的序列变化规律。对不同代次细胞毒序列分析的结果表明，细胞毒在第8代以前，VP3基因序列没有改变，与标准超强毒HK46株氨基酸同源性达99％以上；细胞毒第9代核苷酸和氨基酸序列发生了改变；10代毒VP3基因与标准弱毒P2株氨基酸序列同源性达100％；细胞适应毒传至20代，其VP3基因序列不再改变。从而说明，vvIBDV Gx株在致弱过程中，VP3基因也随之改变。     

传染性法氏囊病超强毒Gx株VP5基因在病毒致弱过程中的变异研究

利用SPF鸡胚对鸡传染性法氏囊病超强毒(vvIBDV)Gx株进行培育,通过鸡胚成纤维细胞对病毒进行传代致弱,对其非结构蛋白VP5基因核苷酸及推导的氨基酸序列进行分析,从而揭示vvIBDV Gx从超强毒力向弱毒力转化过程中基因的序列变化规律.对不同代次细胞毒序列分析的结果表明,细胞毒在第8代以前,VP5基因序列没有改变,与欧洲标准超强毒氨基酸同源性达98%以上;细胞毒第9代核苷酸和氨基酸序列发生了改变;10代毒VP5基因与欧洲标准弱毒Cu-1氨基酸序列同源性达99%;细胞适应毒传至20代,其VP5基因序列不再改变.从而说明,vvIBDV Gx株VP5基因在致弱过程中存在变化规律.     

传染性法氏囊病超强毒Gx株的致弱研究

本研究成功将鸡传染性法氏囊病超强毒vvIBDVGx株通过SPF鸡胚的快速培育及鸡胚成纤维细胞传代致弱，揭示了vvIBDV从超强毒力向弱毒力转化过程中，其主要结构蛋白VP2基因核苷酸及推导的氨基酸序列的变化规律。对不同代次细胞毒进行了序列分析。发现细胞毒在第7代以前，VP2基因序列没有改变。与欧洲标准超强毒氨基酸同源性达100%；细胞毒第8代，有个别核苷酸发生了改变。但没有影响氨基酸序列；细胞毒第9代是变化复杂的过渡代；10代毒VP2基因与欧洲标准弱毒Cu-1氨基酸序列同源性达97%；以后的细胞适应毒至20代。其VP2基因序列不再改变。致病性实验表明原代毒对4周龄SPF鸡致死率为64%。细胞毒第5代的致死率为60%，而20代毒对鸡无致病性。在鸡体内连续传代6代不返强。     

Correlation of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay titers with protection against infectious bursal disease virus.

We examined the utility of baculovirus-expressed infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) proteins to act as antigens in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The three IBDV protein antigens tested included 1) a truncated VP2, 2) whole VP2, and 3) the polyprotein products VP2, VP3, and VP4. Serum samples from 2-wk-old commercially reared broilers were collected and tested in the three ELISAs. Serum samples were obtained from 34 different commercial broiler flocks. An average of 14 serum samples (range = 11-17) were tested for each flock. The ELISA results were compared with the percentage of protection of these birds following challenge with IBDV. Fifty 2-wk-old chicks from each of the 34 broiler flocks were challenged with STC classic virus or Del-E variant virus. At 7 days postchallenge, the bursa from each of the birds was removed and bursa/body weights were recorded. Percentage of protection was determined by the number of birds in each challenge group that had normal relative bursal weights compared with unchallenged controls. No evidence was found of a relationship between ELISA data generated with the polyprotein antigen (VP2, VP3, VP4) and percentage of protection observed in the STC and Del-E challenged birds. A significant relationship was found between ELISA data and percentage of protection to STC and Del-E when the truncated VP2 or whole VP2 antigens were used in the ELISA. The results of this study indicate that predicting the percentage of protection against classic or variant IBDV strains in broilers from vaccinated breeder flocks can be improved when VP2 is used as the only antigen in the ELISA.     

一株鸡传染性法氏囊病病毒的分离鉴定

从天津地区免疫失败的鸡群中分离一株IBDV(命名TJ-hg),应用血清学AGP试验结果可见明显的白色沉淀线;应用逆转录酶—聚合酶链式反应(RT-PCR)扩增的 IBDV VP2 基因高变区(vVP2)及其序列分析的结果表明,TJ-hg株与超强毒株的核苷酸同源性均在90%以上,氨基酸同源性达98.8%~99.3%,且高变区中特征性氨基酸的变化与超强毒株完全一致,TJ-hg株在第一亲水区氨基酸Q219P发生突变。研究结果表明,TJ-hg株属于超强毒株,但又与标准毒株存在差异。     

Genetic characterization of very virulent infectious bursal disease viruses from Latin America

Very virulent infectious bursal disease viruses (vvIBDVs) were detected in phenol inactivated bursal samples obtained from Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela. After nucleotide sequence analysis of the hypervariable region of VP2 gene, the vvIBDVs from Brazil and Venezuela exhibited all of the 14 nucleotide changes that are conserved in the European UK-661 and most other vvIBDV strains. However, the vvIBDV from the Dominican Republic presented 11 nucleotide changes that are conserved in vvIBDV strains. After phylogenetic analysis, the Latin American strains were found to be related to other vvIBDV strains from Europe, Asia, and Africa. However, Brazilian and Dominican vvIBDVs clustered in two separate subgroups, while the vvIBDVs from Venezuela were closely related to other strains from other parts of the world. By deduced amino acid sequence, the three conserved amino acid residues in vvIBDV strains (222 Ala, 256 Ile, and 294 Ile) were confirmed in the Latin American viruses, and one amino acid change (300 Ala) was unique to all vvIBDVs from the Dominican Republic. The occurrence of this change in the Dominican vvIBDVs may have an impact in their antigenic makeup. Results of this study indicate that the vvIBDVs detected in Latin America are genetically similar to IBDV strains from other parts of the world. However, vvIBDVs from Venezuela were more similar to the vvIBDV strains from Europe and Asia. Of all the samples analyzed, vvIBDVs from Brazil and the Dominican Republic exhibited more genetic changes. These changes may have emerged as a result of the different management practices and environmental conditions present in each particular geographic area.