Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 9, 2026

Using Reverse Genetics to Manipulate the NSs Gene of the Rift Valley Fever Virus MP-12 Strain to Improve Vaccine Safety and Efficacy
09:13

Using Reverse Genetics to Manipulate the NSs Gene of the Rift Valley Fever Virus MP-12 Strain to Improve Vaccine Safety and Efficacy

Published on: November 1, 2011

African swine fever virus multigene family 360 and 530 genes are novel macrophage host range determinants

L Zsak1, Z Lu, T G Burrage

  • 1Plum Island Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Greenport, New York 11944-0848, USA. lzsak@piadc.ars.usda.gov

Journal of Virology
|March 10, 2001
PubMed

Insights

African swine fever virus (ASFV) adapted to grow in monkey cells causes early macrophage death. Specific ASFV genes, MGF 360 and MGF 530, are crucial for viral replication in macrophages.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Immunology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Pathogenic African swine fever virus (ASFV) primarily infects swine macrophages.
  • ASFV can be adapted to grow in non-macrophage cell lines, like monkey cells.
  • The host range and replication efficiency of ASFV are key areas of study.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the genetic factors responsible for ASFV's macrophage host range.
  • To understand the mechanism by which adapted ASFV strains cause early cell death in macrophages.
  • To pinpoint specific ASFV genes essential for replication in macrophage cell cultures.

Main Methods:

  • Characterization of cell culture-adapted ASFV strains (MS16, BA71V) in macrophage cultures.
  • Cell viability assays and ultrastructural analysis to assess infection effects.
  • Marker rescue experiments using genomic cosmid clones from pathogenic ASFV E70.
  • Fine-mapping of essential viral regions and sequence analysis.
  • Deletion mutagenesis of specific ASFV genes in a pathogenic isolate (Pr4).

Main Results:

  • Cell culture-adapted ASFV strains (MS16, BA71V) induced rapid macrophage cell death before viral replication.
  • A 38-kbp genomic region from pathogenic ASFV E70 restored MS16 and BA71V growth in macrophages.
  • An 11-kbp subclone within this region was sufficient for rescuing BA71V growth.
  • MS16 and BA71V exhibited deletions in the MGF 360 and MGF 530 gene families.
  • Deletion of the MGF 360/530 region from pathogenic ASFV Pr4 significantly reduced its growth in macrophages.

Conclusions:

  • ASFV multigene families 360 (MGF 360) and 530 (MGF 530) are critical for macrophage host range.
  • These ASFV genes play an essential role in promoting the survival of infected macrophages.
  • Understanding these genes is vital for controlling ASFV pathogenesis and host adaptation.

More Related Videos

Arbovirus Infections As Screening Tools for the Identification of Viral Immunomodulators and Host Antiviral Factors06:02

Arbovirus Infections As Screening Tools for the Identification of Viral Immunomodulators and Host Antiviral Factors

Published on: September 13, 2018

A Multi-detection Assay for Malaria Transmitting Mosquitoes09:00

A Multi-detection Assay for Malaria Transmitting Mosquitoes

Published on: February 28, 2015

Related Concept Videos

Viral Recombination00:57

Viral Recombination

Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
Inhibitors of Virion Maturation and Assembly01:19

Inhibitors of Virion Maturation and Assembly

As part of their replication cycle, certain viruses synthesize long precursor proteins called polyproteins within infected host cells. In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), two major polyproteins are produced: Gag and Gag-Pol. The Gag polyprotein supplies the structural components of the virus, while Gag-Pol includes essential viral enzymes such as reverse transcriptase, integrase, and protease. After synthesis, these polyproteins move to the host cell membrane, where they assemble into an...
Human Virome01:26

Human Virome

The human body harbors a vast and diverse viral community known as the human virome. The virome includes bacteriophages that infect bacteria, and eukaryotic viruses that infect human cells. Transient dietary and environmental viruses also contribute to this dynamic ecosystem. Estimates suggest the human body may contain on the order of 10¹³ viral particles, though abundance varies widely by body site and detection method.Comprehensive characterization of the virome has become possible only with...
Size and Structure of Viral Genomes01:26

Size and Structure of Viral Genomes

Viral genomes exhibit remarkable diversity in size, structure, and composition, influencing their replication strategies and interactions with host cells. These genomes consist of either DNA or RNA and may be linear or circular. Additionally, they can be single-stranded or double-stranded, with each configuration affecting how the virus propagates within a host. RNA viruses, for instance, generally have smaller genomes than DNA viruses, a factor that contributes to their high mutation rates and...
Rabies01:28

Rabies

Rabies is a lethal zoonotic disease caused by a single-stranded, negative-sense RNA virus of the Lyssavirus genus, within the family Rhabdoviridae. Its primary mode of transmission to humans is through bites or saliva-contaminated scratches from infected mammals such as dogs, bats, raccoons, or foxes. Transmission can also occur if infectious saliva contacts abraded skin or intact mucous membranes, including the conjunctiva.Viral Entry and Early ReplicationOnce introduced at the bite or scratch...
Exon Recombination02:32

Exon Recombination

The evolution of new genes is critical for speciation. Exon recombination, also known as exon shuffling or domain shuffling, is an important means of new gene formation. It is observed across vertebrates, invertebrates, and in some plants such as potatoes and sunflowers. During exon recombination, exons from the same or different genes recombine and produce new exon-intron combinations, which might evolve into new genes. 
Exon shuffling follows “splice frame rules.” Each exon has three reading...